Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light, though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night.
High-tech guardians: Korea deploys AI patrol robots to protect historic palaces
Seokjojeon Hall at Deoksu Palace in Seoul / Korea Times file
By Jhoo Dong-chan
Standing outside ancient wooden pavilions and sprawling royal mausoleums, Korea is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to safeguard its centuries-old cultural heritage against physical threats and environmental hazards.
The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, an arm of the Royal Heritage Administration, said Friday that it is launching field testing for autonomous AI patrol robots across major historic sites. Building on a brief two-month trial at Changdeok Palace earlier this year, the new initiative expands field testing to Deoksu Palace and the Seooreung Royal Tombs through November.
The four-month pilot program tests how different robotic designs navigate the delicate, varied terrain of Korea's royal grounds. While traditional security setups often struggle with vast outdoor spaces, these autonomous machines will roam predetermined routes using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors alongside vision-based artificial intelligence to monitor site conditions and assist human guard forces.
The initiative highlights a growing urgency across Korea to fortify vulnerable historical structures against irreversible damage.
Protecting wooden palaces and stone monuments has long posed a complex challenge for heritage managers. In 2008, the nation suffered a cultural disaster when an arsonist set fire to Sungnye Gate, Seoul's iconic wooden southern gate, reducing the 600-year-old national treasure to ashes. More recently, high-profile acts of vandalism — including spray-paint graffiti targeting the historic stone retaining walls of Gyeongbok Palace — demonstrated how quickly sprawling cultural landmarks can be defaced despite conventional camera surveillance.
To suit differing ground topographies, authorities are deploying distinct robotic models. A four-wheeled driving robot will navigate the paved, relatively flat courtyards of Deoksu Palace in central Seoul. Meanwhile, a bipedal robot will traverse the uneven paths, unpaved trails and steep inclines of Seooreung, a sprawling forest complex housing royal tombs in Goyang, northwest of the capital.
Equipped with optical and thermal imaging cameras, the robots are programmed to detect real-time emergencies — such as fires, unauthorized trespassers or medical crises where visitors collapse. Connected directly to a centralized security control center, the units can deliver automated warnings, broadcast safety announcements and immediately alert human response teams.
Preserving timber-framed palaces and expansive royal burial grounds presents unique logistical challenges, where narrow passages, dense foliage and delicate historical artifacts limit the installation of fixed surveillance hardware. By deploying adaptive autonomous systems, heritage officials said they aim to evaluate whether walking or wheeled platforms offer better protection for vulnerable cultural assets.
If the trial proves successful, officials plan to extend the program through next year, laying the groundwork for a broader, tech-driven safety and conservation framework across Korea's most cherished historical landmarks.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.