[Edaily Reporter Kim Yeong-hwan ] TYM CORPORATION(002900), a South Korean agricultural machinery specialist, is taking on the golf course turf management equipment market, which is currently dominated by U.S. and Japanese companies. The company’s strategy is to promote the localization of the golf course turf management equipment market, which currently relies heavily on imports.

According to industry sources on the 19th, TYM CORPORATION is developing a domestically produced autonomous mower (specialized turf management equipment) with the goal of commercializing it by 2028. Currently, the mower market used at domestic golf courses is effectively monopolized by five U.S. and Japanese manufacturers, including U.S. companies such as John Deere and Toro.

The recent surge in exchange rates has driven up the prices of imported equipment, while a worsening labor shortage has further fueled demand for automated golf course maintenance—the backdrop against which TYM CORPORATION has entered the market. The price of high-performance mowers, which used to be around 100 million won, has risen to approximately 150 million won, and maintenance costs have also increased significantly.

TYM CORPORATION aims to expand into the golf course equipment sector by leveraging the autonomous driving technology and physical AI capabilities it has accumulated in the agricultural machinery sector, including tractors, rice transplanters, and combine harvesters. The company plans to launch a Level 4 autonomous tractor in 2027 and, building on that foundation, commercialize an autonomous mower by 2028.

This product is designed to utilize multiple sensors and AI to autonomously recognize the slope and obstacles on a golf course and generate the optimal operating path, enabling turf management without operator intervention. The core feature is that AI algorithms analyze the operating environment to manage the turf without operator intervention.

As a domestically produced machine, TYM CORPORATION expects it to offer price competitiveness and ease of maintenance compared to imported products. If commercialization is successful, this will mark the first time a Korean-made product enters the autonomous golf course mower market, which has long been dominated by U.S. and Japanese companies.

In 2024, the domestic golf industry was valued at approximately 31 trillion won, ranking third globally behind the U.S. and Japan; however, the country still relies entirely on imports for core course maintenance equipment. Demand for fairway mowers specifically designed for golf courses is estimated to reach about 1,530 units in South Korea alone.

TYM CORPORATION official stated, “We plan to expand our technology beyond golf course management automation to various industrial sectors, including sports fields, public facilities, and leisure complexes.”