South Korea Approves 350 billion Won Plan for Wonik Robot-Hand Factory

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s National Growth Fund has approved a financing plan under which Wonik Robotics intends to raise 350 billion won for a robot-hand production plant and research center in North Jeolla Province. 

The approval, announced by the country’s Financial Services Commission, does not mean Wonik has received the entire amount. 

Under the plan, the government-backed Advanced Strategic Industries Fund will invest 150 billion won through convertible preferred shares. Wonik plans to obtain the remaining 200 billion won through equity investments from private investors. 

The money is intended for equipment and research and development at a new robot-hand production plant and an artificial intelligence transformation, or AX, center in Wanju. The government said the project would support higher production of Wonik’s existing systems and the in-house development of core components. 

The announcement describes a proposed new facility. It does specify a construction completion date, production capacity, or employment target. 

Wonik develops the Allegro Hand range, autonomous mobile robots and mobile manipulators. The current Allegro lineup includes several hand configurations designed for robotics research, automation and manipulation. The government identified the Allegro Hand V5 as one of the company’s principal systems. 

The Financial Services Commission said Wonik has supplied robot hands to international companies and research institutions, though it did not name individual customers or disclose shipment numbers. It also said the company has worked with Nvidia and Meta. 

Meta separately confirmed a development partnership with Wonik in 2024. The companies said they were developing a new Allegro Hand integrating tactile sensing through Meta’s Digit Plexus platform. That announcement established a technical and commercialization partnership, but not that Meta was purchasing the hands as a customer. 

Wonik is the second company selected for investment through South Korea’s M.AX Frontier Project, a government program focused on applying AI to manufacturing. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources described the Wonik decision as support for robot-hand and industrial humanoid production. 

The government has not disclosed when the state investment will close, whether commitments for the remaining 200 billion won have been finalized or when the Wanju facility is expected to begin production.