Humanoid robot in North Korea shown in photo from Russian embassy in Pyongyang

A guide robot dressed in hanbok (traditional Korean dress) welcomes voters and explains the voting process at a polling station set up at the library of Pyongyang Teachers Training College during North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly election on March 15, in this image shared by the Russian Embassy in North Korea. [YONHAP]

 

In a country where images are tightly controlled, a recent photograph stood out: a humanoid robot in
hanbok (traditional Korean dress) welcoming voters at a polling station in Pyongyang.

 

The image, shared by the Russian Embassy in North Korea, showed what appeared to be a female-form robot dressed in a white
jeogori (upper garment) and blue skirt at a polling station inside the library of Pyongyang Teachers Training College during Sunday’s elections for the Supreme People’s Assembly.

 


 

“A robot in the appearance of a young woman wearing traditional Korean dress welcomed voters,” the
embassy said, adding that it guided them through voting procedures.

 

As advances in the convergence of AI and robotics accelerate, and bipedal humanoid robot technology develops rapidly worldwide, such displays by North Korea can serve both domestic and external audiences, signaling Pyongyang’s efforts to keep up with technological progress.

 

North Korea-aligned media have since pointed to the robot as part of a broader push into educational technology. Choson Sinbo, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper based in Japan, reported Tuesday that Pyongyang Teachers Training College had developed a series of teaching robots, including models known as
Dojeon, or “Challenge,” and
Sujae, “Prodigy.”

 

The report offered few technical details, leaving unclear whether the humanoid figure is capable of autonomous movement or interaction beyond scripted functions.

 

An AI-powered robot operates inside a pharmacy in Pyongyang, as reported by the pro-North Korea newspaper Choson Sinbo on July 21, 2025. [YONHAP]

 

The “Challenge” robot assists teachers in the classroom, helping explain lessons and answer students’ questions using preloaded educational materials, according to the Choson Shinbo. Another model, “Prodigy,” is designed for home use, supporting learning for children between the ages of 1 and 10, with a large central display for educational content.

 

The newspaper also described a separate device, a “geometry robot,” that allows students to assemble basic shapes such as circles, straight lines and cylinders into more complex forms, with movable components intended to aid hands-on learning.

 

“The robots all have great practical value in increasing students’ enthusiasm for learning and developing creativity,” the Choson Sinbo said, adding that “their use is expanding across the country.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]