Robot in South Korea 'ends its own life' amid excessive workload concerns

A Korean administrative robot employed by South Korea's Gumi City Council suffered a serious fall down a flight of stairs, sparking local reports of the nation's first robot "suicide."

The robot, built by California-based startup Bear Robotics, was responsible for delivering documents within the council building of Gumi, a city in central South Korea. According to witnesses, the robot fell down six and a half feet of stairs, leading to its early demise.

Local media outlets have mourned the robot's untimely end, suggesting it had taken its own life. The robot was initially hired in August 2023, marking a first for the city. South Korea now employs one industrial robot for every ten workers, according to Reuters.

The robot civil servant was discovered shattered in the stairwell between the building's first and second floors. Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fall. A city council official told Reuters that the company has collected the robot's remains for further analysis.

Witnesses reported seeing the robot "circling in one spot as if something was there" before the accident. The robot was tasked with "daily document deliveries, city promotion, and providing information" to residents.

The incident has sparked critical discussions about the ethical implications of robotic integration in human roles, the workload, and the well-being of robots in the workforce.

In response to the incident, Gumi City Council has announced it will not adopt another robot officer at this time.