Pulmuone launches unmanned instant cooking vending machine

South Korean food company Pulmuone announced on Tuesday that it developed an advanced robotic vending machine capable of preparing hot meals on demand.

Named "Chulchul Box Robot Chef," after the Korean word for hunger, the vending machine is designed to cook frozen products immediately upon receiving an order, with dishes ready in approximately 90 seconds.

Measuring 1.9 meters in height and 1.0 meters in width, the device features a 27-inch screen for displaying visuals and a 15.6-inch touch-operated menu selection screen. It also includes an automated cooking chamber and a compartment for utensils.

As of now, the machine offers three types of freshly-made noodle dishes: spicy beef soup with noodles, tonkotsu ramen, and spicy seafood noodle soup.

The introduction of the Chulchul Box Robot Chef is part of Pulmuone's broader strategy to diversify its unmanned sales platform. The company plans to propose the operation of these new machines to businesses already using existing versions of the Chulchul Box this month.

Write to Kyeong-je Han at hankyung@hankyung.com