Minister Byunghun Bae: "Innovating Natural Disaster Response Systems with AI"

AI and Digital Technologies Take Center Stage
Government and Industry Collaborate on Disaster Response Solutions
Focus on Urban Flood Prediction, AI CCTV Pilots, and Public-Private Partnerships

Minister of Science and ICT Hoon Bae. Photo by Yonhap News

The Ministry of Science and ICT has launched efforts to explore ways to respond to natural disasters using artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies. As extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall and heatwaves become more frequent and severe due to climate change, the ministry is focusing on the potential of AI as a solution to overcome the limitations of existing response systems.

On the morning of August 19, Minister Byunghun Bae of the Ministry of Science and ICT visited the Urban Control Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to inspect the current state of urban disaster response utilizing intelligent CCTV and other technologies. Following the inspection, he held a roundtable discussion attended by officials from related ministries such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Environment, as well as representatives from businesses and research institutes. The discussion covered a wide range of topics on how to expand the use of AI, from disaster data collection to on-site application.

On the same day, the National Information Society Agency introduced achievements from public-private partnerships, including a digital twin-based urban flood response system, a flood prediction platform for dam basin discharge, and a navigation-based road hazard alert service during flood seasons. Kudo Communication presented a case study of AI CCTV being piloted under the regulatory sandbox program of the Ministry of Science and ICT, emphasizing the importance of securing high-quality original data to effectively respond to landslides and flooding situations.

Experts participating in the discussion highlighted the need for AI research and development based on disaster data and land information held by local governments. They also stressed that institutional support should be provided in parallel, so that field personnel can use the systems without difficulty.

Minister Bae stated, "As climate change makes it increasingly difficult to predict natural disasters and the scale of damage grows, AI can be the key to overcoming the limitations of existing response systems. We will lay the groundwork to ensure that AI can play a role in protecting the public from extreme natural disasters."

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