The Seoul Transportation Corporation announced on the 30th that it will expand the subway safety system 'Smart Station' to all stations on lines 1 to 8.
Seoul Transportation Corporation, which operates subway lines 1 to 8, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government have decided to implement the Smart Station, currently in operation at 189 stations, at all 276 stations on lines 1 to 8 by next year.
Smart Station is an integrated subway management system based on Information and Communication Technology (ICT). It uses a 3D map, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and intelligent closed-circuit television (CCTV) to manage distributed facilities and services.
The interior of the station can be monitored through a 3D map, allowing for the quick detection of risk situations such as patient emergencies or criminal activities in real time. The intelligent CCTV, utilizing high-speed deep learning-based artificial intelligence (AI), automatically recognizes incidents like intrusion into dangerous areas and escalator accidents, promptly alerting authorities.
In fact, an analysis of the stations on lines 2 and 8, where Smart Stations have been established, showed that response times to emergencies decreased by 72.7% (from 11 minutes to 3 minutes), and the time for station patrols and rounds was reduced by 64.3% (from 28 minutes to 10 minutes).
The corporation has also decided to expand the installation of 20,584 CCTV cameras on subway lines 1 to 8. Additionally, it will broaden the implementation of automatic safety platforms to prevent accidents during boarding and alighting, aiming for installation at 589 locations across lines 1 to 8. At 66 stations (413 locations) where automatic safety platforms cannot be installed due to structural reasons, they plan to introduce 'platform edge warning lights' that project light from the floor to alert passengers to the fall risk.
Furthermore, the corporation plans to continue efforts to amend the law to grant subway security officers 'special judicial police authority.' Currently, subway security officers do not have judicial authority and are treated the same as citizens when encountering a perpetrator. The corporation explained that they can only wait for the police to arrive, making it difficult to confiscate dangerous items or make arrests.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon noted, 'To protect the daily lives of the 7 million citizens who use the subway each day, we will invest in safety without any concessions or compromises.' On the same day, Mayor Oh visited Ok-su Station on Line 3 at 10 a.m. to inspect the operational status of the Smart Station and automatic safety platforms, while also encouraging the staff.