[Interview] Lee Sung, Guro District Mayor: "'Chimney City' Guro Transforms into Korea's Representative 'Smart City'"

Since the early days when the concept of smart cities was unfamiliar, dedicated teams have been established and basic infrastructure built... Notable initiatives include smart safety management systems for facilities,安心 care for vulnerable groups, and integrated smart city platforms... Guro-type smart poles preventing traffic accidents and crimes recently certified as 'Smart City' by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] “Guro-gu, once filled with chimney factories, has transformed into South Korea’s representative smart city. As a result of early efforts to utilize advanced technologies in various fields such as safety, welfare, and transportation, the outcomes are now becoming visible.”

Lee Seong, the mayor of Guro-gu, said this in an interview with this publication, explaining that through continuous efforts to create a smart city, Guro-gu has been reborn as a leading smart city in South Korea.

Guro-gu recently received the ‘Smart City Certification’ from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The Smart City Certification is a system established to diagnose the level of smart city development among local governments nationwide, discover excellent smart city models, and promote their expansion. Only eight local governments, including Guro-gu, have been certified nationwide.

Guro-gu has been striving to build a smart city since the concept of ‘smart city’ was still unfamiliar. In 2017, it became the first basic local government in the country to establish a Smart City Team, and in 2019, it expanded the organization into the Smart City Division. It also became the first in the nation to build both Wi-Fi and Internet of Things (IoT) networks throughout the entire region. Currently, various projects incorporating smart technologies are being carried out based on this foundation.

Representative smart city projects in Guro-gu include the Facility Smart Safety Management System, Vulnerable Group Safety Care Service, and the Smart City Integrated Platform.

The ‘IoT-based Facility Smart Safety Management System,’ first established nationwide in 2018, is a system that continuously monitors signs of collapse risks such as tilt, cracks, and vibrations through sensors installed on aging facilities like buildings and bridges. Based on accumulated data, safety grades are assigned to facilities and managed accordingly.

The mayor explained, “Many facilities where accidents occurred had previously been judged safe in the most recent safety inspections. Now, through the Facility Smart Safety Management System, precise data is measured in real time, enabling systematic risk management.”

Guro-gu also built the ‘Smart City Integrated Platform’ in May last year, which links IoT projects scattered across departments with the district’s integrated operation center CCTV for real-time monitoring. The system also provides surveillance footage to related agencies such as police and fire stations during emergencies like crimes, accidents, and fires. At the end of last year, the performance of the integrated platform equipment was significantly improved. The mayor emphasized, “The combination of smart technology and high-performance equipment has made city management more systematic and efficient. We can observe situations in real time across the region by linking about 4,100 CCTVs with smart technology.”

The ‘Vulnerable Group Safety Care Service,’ targeting safety-vulnerable groups such as elderly living alone and children, is also notable.

Through IoT safety terminals installed in homes, the well-being of elderly residents is monitored in real time to prevent risks. Additionally, information is transmitted in real time to parents and daycare teachers via IoT networks, devices carried by children, and location tracking devices attached to school buses and daycare centers.

Since last year, Guro-gu has been installing ‘Guro-type Smart Poles’ to prevent traffic accidents and crimes. Depending on local characteristics and environment, streetlight smart poles, CCTV smart poles, and integrated safety smart poles for child protection zones are installed. Among these, the integrated safety smart poles for child protection zones include functions such as traffic signs, illegal parking enforcement, security CCTV, “smombie” prevention systems, and emergency bells. Guro-gu plans to install an additional 90 Guro-type Smart Poles by the end of this year.

In addition, Guro-gu is implementing projects such as the ‘Smart Toy Robot’ for managing the health, safety, and emotional well-being of elderly living alone, the ‘Smart Parking Information System’ that allows real-time checking and use of parking spaces via smartphones, and the ‘Smart Crosswalk Notification Service’ for children’s commuting safety. Mayor Lee Seong stated, “Smart cities are ultimately the direction all cities must take amid the changes of the Fourth Industrial Revolution era. We will do our best to realize a smart city to secure future livelihoods for residents and create a better living environment.”