[Edaily Reporter Shin Yeong-bin ] As the U.S. erects new certification barriers for foreign-made humanoid robots and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), the domestic robotics industry has begun to respond. This is because robots manufactured in Korea could also be subject to these regulations.

According to the robotics industry on the 21st, the Korea AI & Robotics Industry Association recently formed an “FCC Response Support Team” in collaboration with the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Promotion and experts in trade and law. This move comes after the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added advanced robots manufactured abroad to its list of regulated products last July. The industry believes this could impact domestic companies’ entry into the U.S. market.

On July 28, the FCC added advanced robotic devices manufactured abroad to its “Covered List.” Products included on this list are ineligible for the new FCC equipment certification required for wireless devices and other products sold in the U.S. Concerns are mounting that robots requiring this new certification may be affected.

This regulation is applied based on the product’s place of manufacture rather than the company’s nationality.

The FCC uses the “U.S.-made final product” criteria outlined in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to determine whether a product is manufactured abroad. General manufactured goods must be produced in the United States. To be recognized as a U.S.-made final product, the cost of U.S.-made parts must exceed 65% of the total parts cost for the period from 2024 to 2028.

In response, the Support Task Force is assisting domestic companies in determining whether their robots fall under the scope of the FCC regulations. If a product is subject to the regulations, the task force will also assist with the process of applying for conditional approval from U.S. defense authorities. It plans to provide support ranging from preparing applications to legal advice for preparing for on-site inspections by U.S. authorities.

A self-assessment checklist will also be distributed to enable companies to independently verify whether the regulations apply to them. Guidance will be provided on how to calculate the percentage of U.S.-made components. A separate guidebook detailing the conditional approval application process will be prepared. A dedicated consultation desk will also be operated on an ongoing basis.

The Korea Robot Industry Promotion Agency will be responsible for providing the relevant budgetary support. The Korea AI & Robot Industry Association will oversee surveys of companies’ current situations, as well as roundtables and briefings. It will also collect case studies of companies facing difficulties due to the regulations. By relaying this information to the government, the association will serve as a liaison to facilitate intergovernmental consultations when necessary.

There is also a path to exclusion from regulatory coverage. Relevant regulations include a procedure for granting conditional approval to products deemed not to pose an unacceptable risk to national security. Once approved, the product is removed from the Covered List.

Actual approval cases are already emerging. On the 9th, the FCC announced that the U.S. Department of Defense had granted conditional approval to four robot platforms from the Swedish company Husqvarna. On the 18th, three robot platforms from the Indian robotics company ANSCER Robotics were also exempted from the regulations.

Conditional approval may be subject to certain conditions. ANSCER Robotics received approval on the condition that it continues to implement the U.S. production plan it presented during the application process. Failure to adhere to this plan could result in the revocation of approval. Additionally, if issues are identified in the application details, the product may be subject to regulation again.

For the domestic robotics industry, it has become increasingly necessary to take proactive measures from the very early stages of developing new products targeting the U.S. market. Companies must carefully examine production locations and component supply chains. They must also assess the feasibility of obtaining FCC certification.

Some have pointed out that addressing FCC regulations could create additional regulatory burdens.

Shim Jong-seon, a partner at Deloitte’s International Trade Group, stated, “If a company relocates its production to the U.S. or increases the proportion of U.S.-made parts to obtain FCC certification, it may become subject to export controls (EAR).”