Korean schools deploy AI surveillance to stop bullying in real time

An image generated by artificial intelligence

Inside the control room of a high school in Seoul's Seodaemun District on Wednesday, a monitor displayed students playing on the field, each tracked by a blue square marker. The moment two students appeared to push each other, the system flagged a possible fight on the screen and sent an alert to a school administrator's phone.

The demonstration highlights how artificial intelligence (AI)-powered surveillance technology is turning school security from a passive tool into a real-time warning system. By rapidly detecting and analyzing unusual movement when two or more people are close to each other, the technology helps staff intervene immediately.

A security company official demonstrates an artificial intelligence-powered surveillance system inside the control room of a high school in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Son Hyun-sung

Traditional security cameras have long drawn criticism from educators for only providing after-the-fact evidence. Now, schools are racing to eliminate blind spots. S-1, a security company, said its sales of video analysis systems — including AI-powered cameras provided to schools — increased 74 percent from January to May compared to the same period last year.

The Seodaemun high school recently installed 14 additional AI-powered cameras equipped with an algorithm that detects possible fights. The cameras cover previous blind spots, including the playground, a waste collection area and two elevator areas.

"There are no blind spots now," a school administrator said.

The surveillance upgrade aims to address waning teacher authority and prevent extreme bullying similar to those depicted in the hit Netflix series "Teach You a Lesson." To further secure a restricted area, a virtual boundary set by the school at the rooftop entrance of its gymnasium sounds an audible alert if crossed.

A poster for Netflix series "Teach You a Lesson" / Courtesy of Netflix

The technology is also being adapted to protect younger children. An elementary school in Seoul's Seongdong District installed six AI-powered cameras this year near a parking lot entrance connected to the students' route to school.

These cameras use an algorithm designed to detect falls, triggering a loud warning in the control room if a student collapses. The school said this allows staff to respond immediately to major accidents involving smaller children.

Operating multiple AI-powered security cameras raises questions about student privacy, but school officials maintain the installations followed extensive community discussions and are limited to essential areas. For now, high anxiety over school bullying means expectations for student safety heavily outweigh the discomfort of school surveillance.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.