As artificial intelligence advances, major countries are actively promoting the use of intelligent robots to improve industrial productivity and enhance the quality of life. As robots become more capable of interacting with humans, they are being increasingly integrated into the human realm. Accordingly, major countries are actively implementing policies to lead intelligent robot technology and secure market leadership. We examine the status of policies related to intelligent robots in five countries: United States, China, Japan, Germany, and South Korea. These countries apply 1) government-led intelligent robot policies, 2) investments to secure core robot technologies and promote the convergence of artificial intelligence and robots, 3) programs for research and development on intelligent robots, 4) strengthened human-centered human-robot interaction and collaboration, and 5) ethics, stability, and reliability in the development and use of robot technologies. For Korea to compete with major countries and promote the intelligent robot industry, high-risk, high-performance innovation projects should be prioritized.