A robot working for the Gumi City Council in South Korea died last week after falling down a staircase, which local media is calling the country’s first “robot suicide.”
The incident occurred when the robot tumbled down a two-meter (six-and-a-half foot) staircase. Before the fall, witnesses saw the robot moving in circles as if something was in its way, according to a city council official. The cause of the fall is still under investigation.
A robot performing administrative duties is now at work in the Gumi City Council building. (Photo: Gumi City Council/AFP/Handout)
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An official stated, “We have collected the robot’s parts, and the manufacturer will analyze them.” The robot, which had been assisting with tasks like delivering documents and promoting city events, was considered an integral part of the city hall team.
Another official remarked, “It was officially part of our team and worked hard every day.”
Local headlines have speculated about the incident, with questions like “Why did the hard-working robot end its life?” and “Was the job too demanding?”
Introduced in August 2023, the robot, created by California-based Bear Robotics, was one of the first to perform such duties in Gumi. It worked from 9 am to 6 pm and had its own city employee badge. Unlike many other robots, it could call and use elevators to move between floors on its own.
South Korea is known for its high use of robots, having the most robots per employee globally, according to the International Federation of Robotics.
Currently, Gumi City Council has no plans to replace the robot, an official told AFP.
AFP
