Utilizing 'Smart City' Technology for COVID-19 Epidemiological Investigations... Pilot Operation Starts from the 16th

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] The government will utilize smart city technology in the epidemiological investigation process of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Starting from the 16th, a system will be pilot-operated that allows confirmation of the movement paths of confirmed patients on a map and supports rapid response through related statistical information.

The Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), and other related ministries announced on the 11th that they have established an epidemiological investigation support system using smart city technology developed as an R&D project by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Land to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

So far, the KCDC has identified outbreak locations and transmission routes through in-depth epidemiological investigations such as interviews with confirmed patients, but due to the surge in confirmed cases in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions, the workload of epidemiological investigators has increased dramatically, raising the need for a computerized support system to analyze large-scale data quickly and accurately.

Accordingly, the related ministries developed a support system earlier this month utilizing the 'Smart City Data Hub' under R&D in Daegu and Siheung City through consultations. This system supports rapid response by confirming movement paths and related statistical information limited to patients confirmed by the KCDC. The KCDC will begin pilot operation of the COVID-19 epidemiological investigation support system from the 16th. The system will be operated temporarily within the scope of epidemiological investigations specified in the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act, considering the infectious disease crisis response stage.

The Smart City Data Hub platform, which forms the basis of the support system, is a large-scale urban data analysis tool developed through the 'Smart City Innovation Growth Engine R&D (2018?2022).' It analyzes various big data in urban sectors such as transportation, energy, environment, and safety in real time to create essential convergence data for the 4th industrial revolution era and is utilized to implement smart city services.

Along with this, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Land, and the KCDC have agreed to continuously strengthen support for infectious disease epidemiological investigations.

Choi Ki-young, Minister of Science and ICT, stated, “We are making every effort to support overcoming COVID-19 by applying big data and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, and in the future, based on thorough personal information protection, we will strive to enhance national safety and economic revitalization through data-driven new technology and industry creation.”

Kim Hyun-mee, Minister of Land, said, “As cross-ministerial cooperation is crucial at this time to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Ministry of Land will actively utilize smart city technologies to support the prevention of COVID-19 spread.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.