Police rescue 3 high school students who waded into flood-restricted Seoul stream

Three high school friends who entered Seoul's Uicheon stream despite a public access ban imposed due to heavy rainfall were safely rescued after police spotted them through real-time CCTV monitoring.

According to the Seoul Gangbuk Police Station, officers from Beondong Police Box were patrolling the Uicheon area and monitoring stream CCTV footage in real time to prepare for heavy rain when, at around 10:33 p.m. Tuesday, they spotted three males who had entered a section of the stream known for repeated flooding and closed to the public.

Officers immediately dispatched a patrol car after assessing the danger. Water at the scene had risen to chest height. Officers directed the students to exit the water at once and guided them to a safe location, then took them to Beondong Police Box and handed them over to their guardians.

A Gangbuk Police Station official confirmed the three were high school students who had been together. "They appear to have entered the stream out of simple curiosity," the official said. "No other motive or unusual circumstances — such as self-harm — were found."

The official added that real-time monitoring had allowed officers to spot the students early and respond immediately. "It was a situation that could easily have turned into a serious accident — we are relieved it did not," the official said.

Gangbuk Police Station chief Kim Tae-hyeon urged the public to stay away from streams during heavy rain. "During heavy rainfall, water levels in streams can rise sharply in a very short time, making them extremely dangerous," Kim said. "Police will do their utmost to protect the lives and safety of citizens through real-time monitoring and preventive patrols."