AI to aid sea rescue efforts in South Korean city

Sokcho City in South Korea is pioneering a new approach to maritime safety by developing an artificial intelligence system to predict the movement of individuals lost at sea. The city has secured 580 million won in government funding after being selected for a "Digital Safety Leading Model Development Project" by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

The core of the project, titled "Development of Location Tracking and Drift Prediction Technology for Rapid Search of Missing Persons in Coastal and Maritime Accidents," involves using AI to forecast the trajectories of those lost at sea. This predicted data will be integrated into Sokcho City's digital twin platform, a virtual replica of the real world, to aid in swift search and rescue operations.

Researchers will conduct extensive real-world tests in a 1-square-kilometer area off Sokcho Beach. They plan to deploy three types of human-shaped models and drift buoys to collect data on movement patterns and timing influenced by ocean currents. This data will be compared with information from the National Oceanographic Research Institute's prediction systems to refine the AI's accuracy in simulating actual marine conditions.

Sokcho City anticipates that this advanced system will significantly enhance the speed and precision of initial responses to maritime accidents. By extending the digital twin platform's capabilities to marine areas, officials aim to create a unified system for monitoring both land and sea. Mayor Lee Byung-seon emphasized the critical importance of rapid and accurate search area determination in maritime incidents, stating the goal is to build a robust response system that ensures the safety of citizens and tourists enjoying marine leisure activities.

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The speed and accuracy of determining the search area immediately after an accident are paramount in maritime incidents. We will develop digital safety technology tailored to Sokcho's marine environment to ensure citizens and tourists can enjoy marine leisure with peace of mind and establish a marine accident response system that can be practically utilized in the field.