The MOU aims to foster the advancement and broader adoption of robotic surgery and drive technology development with the Medtronic Hugo robotic-assisted surgery platform.
Medtronic’s surgical robot is a modular, multi-quadrant platform designed for various surgical procedures. It features wristed instruments, 3D visualization and surgical video capture options in the Touch Surgery ecosystem.
Hugo won its first FDA clearance in December 2025, covering urologic surgical procedures. It also recently met endpoints in a hernia repair study and went under evaluation in a study for gynecological procedures as well.
Building on the MOU, Medtronic and AMC intend to collaborate closely across critical areas of surgical robotics. Those include clinical research, education and technology development essential to the progression of robotic surgery.
Hugo earned its first regulatory approval in Europe in 2021, followed by Japanese approval in 2023 and Korean approval in 2024. Global usage totals tens of thousands of procedures spanning urologic, gynecologic and general surgery in more than 30 countries.
Commentary from Medtronic and AMC officials
Mike Marinaro, EVP and president of the Medical Surgical Portfolio, Medtronic, said:
“We are pleased to establish a partnership with Asan Medical Center, which possesses world-class capabilities and experience in this field. Through this collaboration, we will strengthen our partnership with Korea, a strategic hub for the advancement of robotic surgery, and expand our support in the region.
Dalsan You, director of the Robotic Surgery Center of AMC, said:
“Asan Medical Center has consistently contributed to the advancement of healthcare in Korea through its extensive clinical expertise and educational experience in complex and high-acuity care, including robotic surgery. Through this comprehensive collaboration with Medtronic, we aim to further advance the field of robotic surgery and reinforce our position as a leading global robotic surgery center.”
