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Seoul uses AI to speed up missing persons search
Once fully implemented across the South Korean capital, the system will integrate approximately 123,000 security cameras into a single searchable network.
At a glance
Who: Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG).
What: SMG is deploying an AI-powered video analysis system capable of searching up to 123,000 security cameras across the city simultaneously.
Why: To accelerate search efforts in the early stages of missing persons cases involving vulnerable individuals, including missing children, individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, and people with disabilities.
When: The project will be completed in five districts by this year in Jongno, Seongdong, Gangbuk, Dongjak, and Gwanak.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) is deploying an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered video analysis system capable of searching up to 123,000 security cameras across the city simultaneously.
This CCTV system aims to accelerate search efforts in the early stages of missing persons cases involving vulnerable individuals, including missing children, individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, and people with disabilities.
AI-based video analysis
The city will complete the AI-based high-speed CCTV search system in five districts by this year – Jongno, Seongdong, Gangbuk, Dongjak, and Gwanak – completing deployment across all 25 districts in Seoul.
Under the previous system, staff were required to manually review video footage from individual cameras. SMG reports the new system uses AI-based video analysis to process up to 100 hours of footage in 10 minutes, reducing analysis time and improving the speed and efficiency of missing persons searches.
The initiative began in Gangnam in 2022 and has been gradually expanded. According to the city, the system has already been used in approximately 1,600 cases, including missing persons searches and other investigations, helping to improve field response capabilities.
Once fully implemented across Seoul, the system will integrate approximately 123,000 active security cameras into a single searchable network. SMG said this will enable seamless, citywide tracking even when individuals move across district boundaries.
The new system uses AI-based video analysis to process up to 100 hours of footage in just 10 minutes
The technology includes appearance-based video search and automatic route tracking, allowing for quicker tracking and improved efficiency.
Following full deployment, Seoul plans to expand the system’s use beyond missing persons cases to support criminal investigations and incident response, in coordination with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and other relevant agencies.
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