A South Korean city council announced Wednesday that their first administrative officer robot was no longer operational after reportedly falling down a two-meter staircase last week, prompting local media to describe it as the country’s first robot suicide.
The robot, operated by Gumi City Council, was discovered unresponsive following the incident. According to a council official, witnesses observed the robot circling in place just before the fall, although the exact cause is still under investigation.
“The pieces have been collected and will be analyzed by the company,” the official stated, noting that the robot had been instrumental in tasks such as daily document deliveries, city promotion, and disseminating information to local residents.
“It was officially part of the city hall, one of us,” remarked another official. “It worked diligently,” the official said.
Local media headlines questioned the incident, pondering, “Why did the diligent civil officer do it?” and speculating whether “Was work too hard” for the robot?
Appointed in August 2023, the robot represented an early adoption of its kind in the city, produced by Bear Robotics, a California-based startup specializing in robot-waiters.
Operating from 9 am to 6 pm, it even possessed its own civil service officer card and could independently use elevators, distinguishing it from other robots limited to a single floor.
South Korea, known for its enthusiastic adoption of robotics, boasts the world’s highest density of robots, with one industrial robot for every 10 employees according to the International Federation of Robotics.
Despite the incident, Gumi City Council currently has no immediate plans to introduce a second robot officer, as confirmed in their statement to AFP.