"Strengthening Seoul Security" ... CCTV Integrated Platform Linked with Capital Defense Command

Seoul City, Military Situation Room-Local Government Network Establishment and Sharing Agreement on 21st
Rapid Military On-Site Assessment and Initial Response in Crisis Such as Terror Attacks → Capital Defense

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Capital Defense Command, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will collaborate to establish a network linking the 'Smart Seoul CCTV Safety Center,' which integrates monitoring of closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) across Seoul, with the Capital Defense Command’s situation room within this year.

On the 23rd, Seoul announced that it signed a written agreement titled 'Cooperation Agreement for Building a Smart City Safety Network' on the 21st with the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Yongin City, containing these details.

In the event of a crisis related to national security such as a terrorist attack, the military will be able to quickly grasp the on-site situation and take initial response measures, enhancing the security posture of the Seoul area by linking the city’s smart city integrated platform system.

The Smart Seoul CCTV Safety Center is a place where information systems such as CCTVs installed by each autonomous district for public services including crime prevention, traffic, and facility management can be monitored at a glance. It is located in Sangam-dong, Seoul, and operates 24 hours a day.

Once the network is established, the military unit’s situation room will be able to immediately check CCTV video information. This will enable rapid understanding of on-site situations and immediate provision of related information to operational units, greatly enhancing command and control capabilities and significantly improving the military units’ operational performance.

Previously, in the event of an emergency, military personnel had to visit the autonomous district CCTV center in person to check and utilize CCTV footage, limiting the military’s ability to respond promptly in the early stages of a situation.

However, Seoul will not provide CCTV information routinely for privacy protection but will limit provision to cases related to national security and regional disaster response as permitted by law. For example, this includes the declaration of integrated defense situations, issuance of alert level 2 or higher, integrated defense drills, government drills (such as Eulji Taegeuk exercises), Korea-US joint exercises, terrorist incidents, disasters, emergencies, and rescue situations.

This project is part of the 'Smart City Integrated Platform' initiative promoted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and was requested by the Ministry of National Defense to support military operational control, training, and security posture establishment. Seoul is the first metropolitan local government to participate, with Yongin City participating as a basic local government.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of National Defense plan to conduct a pilot project this year targeting some military units and the smart city integrated platforms established in Seoul and Yongin, then expand related services to local governments nationwide in the second half of next year.

Gal Jun-seon, Seoul’s Emergency Planning Officer, said, "By sharing CCTV video information installed throughout the city for purposes such as crime prevention and illegal parking enforcement with the Capital Defense Command that defends Seoul, we will enhance our response capabilities to potential security crises. We will do our best to proceed with close cooperation among related agencies to ensure there are no issues regarding personal information protection."

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