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Dr. Junho Oh elected as new President of KAR
Feb 25, 2026 — Dr. Junho Oh, Head of Samsung Electronics’ Future Robotics Office has been appointed as the 12th President of Korea AI & Robot Industry Association (KAR) on February 25.
Born on October 3, 1954, in Seoul, Dr. Oh earned his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Yonsei University and his master’s degree from Yonsei University Graduate School. He later received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.
During his tenure as a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at KAIST, Dr. Oh led the development of Korea’s first bipedal humanoid robot, HUBO. The groundbreaking achievement earned him the affectionate nickname “Father of HUBO” and marked a milestone in Korea’s robotics history.
In 2011, together with fellow KAIST researchers, he founded Rainbow Robotics. The company has since become a leading robotics firm, advancing technologies for humanoid biped platforms, quadruped robots, and collaborative robots.
Following Rainbow Robotics’ incorporation as a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, Dr. Oh has taken on expanded responsibilities as Head of Samsung’s Future Robotics Office and as an advisor, spearheading next-generation robotics initiatives. Drawing on decades of accumulated expertise across academia and industry, he is expected to play a central role in shaping Samsung’s long-term robotics strategy.
In his inaugural address as KAR President, Dr. Oh remarked that Samsung Electronics’ appointment as KAR new president reflects the industry’s strong expectation that a global technology leader will take responsibility for advancing Korea’s robotics ecosystem. He pledged to devote his full efforts to positioning Korea as a global leader in the emerging era of “Physical AI.”
Dr. Oh emphasized that KAR exists to serve its members. With membership expanding to approximately 340 companies, the Association is entering a critical growth phase. He committed to strengthening collaboration with government bodies, research institutes, and related organizations to ensure regulatory reform, policy support, standardization, and international certification frameworks that foster tangible growth for member companies.
