Newsletter N°88 - April 2026 

Asan Medical Center has carried out the first clinical cardiovascular intervention using South Korea’s domestically developed “physical AI” robotic system, AVIAR, in a milestone moment for robotic precision medicine.

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A team led by cardiologist Ahn Jung-min treated a 56-year-old angina patient using the robotic-assisted platform during a coronary intervention procedure. The patient was discharged the next day without complications.

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Developed internally by Asan Medical Center in 2019, AVIAR became the country’s first domestic robotic system for percutaneous coronary intervention after receiving regulatory approval in 2023. The technology was later designated an innovative medical technology in late 2024, with this operation marking its first real clinical deployment.

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The hospital said the robot’s millimeter-level precision can shorten procedure time by more than 46% and reduce patient radiation exposure by over 22% versus imported systems. The breakthrough is also being viewed as a signal that Korean medical robotics may begin reducing dependence on foreign technologies while improving the precision and safety of cardiovascular treatment.