South Korean robot to conduct orchestra in 1st-ever attempt

ISTANBUL

A robot in South Korea will conduct an orchestra in a first-ever attempt in the nation's high-tech history.

The National Orchestra of Korea announced Thursday that for the first time in South Korea, a robot will take on the role of conducting during a concert at the end of this month.

The Orchestra, a traditional Korean music orchestra under the National Theater of Korea, will present "Absence" at Seoul's Haeoreum Grand Theater on June 30, with a robot as the conductor.

Though earlier several robots conducted orchestras in Japan and Switzerland, it will be the first robot conductor in South Korea.

The android robot dubbed "EveR 6", developed by the Korean Institute of Industrial Technology a year ago, resembles the human body and is able to flexibly use its neck and arm.

Robot and conductor Choi Soo-yeol will perform separately at the concert, after which the two conductors will conduct the concert together.

For the upcoming performance, "I will demonstrate how human conductors surpass robots in real-time interaction and communication, showcasing my leadership and musical interpretation skills," he said, according to South Korea's Yonhap News.