Robot commits suicide in South Korea sparking row over workload

In a tragic event at Gumi City Council, South Korea, a robot civil servant was found unresponsive after falling down stairs, sparking discussions of the country’s first robot suicide. The robot, part of daily operations since August 2023, assisted with document delivery and city promotion. Witnesses observed unusual behavior before the incident. While investigations continue into the cause, the city council has decided against deploying another robot officer. The incident has prompted reflection on robot workload and implications for their integration into civic roles in highly automated South Korea.