Robot sommeliers and baristas go to work in labor-starved South Korea

SEOUL — As South Korea grapples with a rapidly shrinking workforce, robotics companies are looking to the service sector in hopes of plugging labor shortages in a range of fields from restaurants to health care.

At a March robot expo in Seoul, Hanwha Group unit Hanwha Robotics showcased a robot arm programmed to decant wine just like a seasoned human sommelier.