Multi-purpose robot soldiers to replace human troops in armed conflict could arrive as early as 2011.

The Defense Ministry and Information and Communication Ministry on Wednesday said they will invest 33 billion won by 2011 to produce the robots, which can operate on both flat and rugged terrain.

Remote controlled via a computer network, the robots will have artificial intelligence to effectively fight on the battlefield.

Between next year and 2010, the government will spend 31 billion won on a separate project to develop a sensor network that will connect mini-sensors.

The system will effectively monitor and detect objects within a short range and process related information.