Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Seoul to deploy robots to improve disaster management
A four-legged robot designed to be deployed in high-risk areas / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
By Jung Min-ho
Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters announced on Monday that it will use robots and new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) more proactively to address problems and improve its emergency response system.
A key initiative under the plan is to expand the number of traditional markets covered by its fire patrol robots from two to four. These robots will autonomously patrol during late-night hours, using thermal sensors to detect high-temperature objects and send real time alerts. If their video analysis system determines that a fire has broken out, they report it to the local fire station and activate built-in dry chemical extinguishers to put it out.
It will also deploy four-legged robots in dangerous underground spaces, such as tunnels that contain power lines, water pipes and gas lines, where toxic gases or smoke make human access difficult or unsafe.
Equipped with LiDAR — a technology that uses laser light to build a detailed 3D image of the environment — and gas detectors, these robots can monitor hazards and search for people in real time. The city government plans to apply private 5G technology so real-time video from the machines can be transmitted without interruption, even in areas with poor communication coverage.
To handle surges in emergency calls during large‑scale disasters, the city government will further enhance its AI‑powered 119 “call bot,” which can process up to 240 calls at the same time. AI helps classify incident types in real time and route the most urgent cases to human operators.
“The year 2026 will mark the first year in which the Seoul fire service takes a major step forward by combining advanced technology with professional infrastructure,” Hong Young-geun, Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters commissioner, said.