Mushrooms Also Distributed by Robots... Gyeongbuk Province and Pohang City, "Smart Logistics Innovation for Forest Products"

Secured 10.7 Billion KRW for Logistics Terminal Construction Project

Establishing Korea's First Gyeongbuk-Type Smart Distribution System

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Koo Dae-sun] A distribution business for forest products using smart advanced robot technology will be launched in Pohang, Gyeongbuk.

Gyeongbuk Province and Pohang City were finally selected for the ‘Smart Forest Management Innovation Growth Technology Development’ public project, securing a total project cost of 6.7 billion KRW (5.3 billion KRW in national funds). This project is led by the Korea Forestry Promotion Institute and hosted by the Korea Forest Service.

The Smart Forest Management Innovation Growth Technology Development project aims to apply AI-based automated robot technology for forest products and conduct on-site verification at the Gyeongsang region forest products logistics terminal currently under construction in Pohang City, realizing automation in the distribution and logistics of forest products.

Through this, it plans to complete on-site verification by developing the country’s first automation technology for transporting, sorting, and packaging forest products, as well as logistics terminal operation environment optimization and control technology using AI technology.

Conceptual diagram of automation technology development and field demonstration for forest product distribution centers based on robots and AI.

The Korea Institute of Robot Convergence (Pohang City), the only government-affiliated robot specialized production research institute in Korea that has developed commercialization technology for more than 40 types of various robot products, will lead the research project.

AI specialist company Wise Aitek, autonomous driving robot developer Twinny, and Pohang City Forestry Cooperative will jointly participate to enhance the completeness of the project.

The Gyeongsang region forest products logistics terminal, which secured a budget of 4 billion KRW last year and is currently undergoing basic planning services, plans to operate from 2025 by establishing a complex logistics facility to activate distribution and export of short-term income forest products (such as fruit-bearing trees, wild vegetables, mushrooms, etc.) in Gyeongbuk.

Choi Young-sook, Director of the Environment and Forest Resources Bureau, said, “By being selected for the public project, we have gained a new growth engine applying robot and AI technology, moving away from the traditional forest products distribution and logistics system centered on small-scale handicrafts.”

Director Choi added, “With the establishment of Korea’s first Gyeongbuk-type smart forest products logistics terminal, we will open a new horizon in the field of forest products distribution. We plan to develop it as a model case leading from local production to forest products distribution and as a nationwide landmark model.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.