Seoul installs AI CCTV cameras along riverside trails to prevent flood casualties

Rain was falling hard on Seoul's Jungnangcheon stream. As water levels rose, the Seoul Metropolitan Government closed the riverside walking trail to the public. But a regular walker identified only as A, unaware of the restriction, entered the trail anyway. A nearby CCTV camera picked up the intrusion, and footage of A appeared at the center of the main screen at the city's fire department situation room. An official there promptly contacted Jungnang-gu, which manages the stream, and a district official went to the scene and safely escorted A home.

The scenario above is a hypothetical illustration of what could unfold along Seoul's riverside trails during heavy summer rains. Such a rapid response will be made possible through a pilot project the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched this month to install AI-based smart CCTV cameras along riverside walking trails, as episodes of concentrated downpours during the rainy season become more frequent.

The city decided this month to deploy a total of 20 AI-based smart CCTV cameras across 10 locations on five major streams — Jungnangcheon, Dorimcheon, Jeongnungcheon, Tancheon and Hongjecheon. Jungnangcheon will receive the most units at eight, followed by Dorimcheon with six, and Jeongnungcheon, Tancheon and Hongjecheon with two each.

"We plan to complete the installation of all 20 AI-based smart CCTV cameras by the end of July, starting with Jungnangcheon, where the need appeared most urgent," a Seoul Metropolitan Government official said. "Some administrative procedures remain, including obtaining consent for personal data collection, and we plan to move quickly once those are wrapped up."

The city is deploying the AI cameras along riverside trails because some residents may enter restricted areas during heavy rain without realizing a closure is in effect. Anyone who enters a restricted riverside area risks being swept away by fast-moving currents, becoming stranded or falling.

Riverside trails are closed when the Korea Meteorological Administration issues a heavy rain advisory or higher. The specific water-level thresholds for closure vary depending on rainfall intensity.

"Riverside trails already have multiple CCTV cameras installed, but when operators have to monitor everything manually, things can sometimes be missed," the official said. "The AI cameras we are introducing will immediately detect anyone entering a restricted area and alert the situation room."

AI-based smart CCTV cameras have already demonstrated their effectiveness in crime prevention. Since the Seoul Metropolitan Government began deploying them in neighborhood alleys and other areas in 2023, the number of incidents involving the city's five major crime categories — murder, robbery, sex crimes, theft and violence — fell from about 90,000 cases in 2022 to about 80,000 in 2024, while the arrest rate rose from 71 percent to 78 percent over the same period.

The city aims to complete installation of the AI cameras by the end of July and operate them through mid-October. It will then analyze the results and, if the cameras prove effective at preventing accidents, consider expanding the program.

"We will apply AI across city administration to build an invisible safety net that protects residents' daily lives, and work toward making Seoul the safest city it can be," a Seoul Metropolitan Government official said.