Gwangju CCTV Control Center Rescues Missing Elderly Dementia Patient

Meticulous Monitoring and Tracking Helped Find Seven Missing Persons Last Year
11,652 Cameras Operated in Vulnerable Areas... Playing a Key Role in Crime Prevention

The Gwangju CCTV Integrated Control Center found a missing elderly dementia patient in their 70s, who was reported missing on the 21st in Gakhwa-dong, Buk-gu, at around 2 a.m. on the 22nd in Yonggang Village, Buk-gu, and ensured their safe return home. Photo by Gwangju City

The Gwangju City CCTV Integrated Control Center announced on the 26th that it had located a missing elderly person with dementia and ensured their safe return home through surveillance of crime-prone areas using security closed-circuit television (CCTV).

On the night of the 21st, the Gwangju CCTV Integrated Control Center received a request from the police to help find a missing person in their 70s with dementia in Gakhwa-dong, Buk-gu. While monitoring the CCTV footage, an operator spotted an elderly person matching the description in Yonggang Village, Buk-gu, around 2 a.m. on the 22nd and immediately informed the police of the situation and location.

The police, responding to the report, safely handed the elderly person over to their guardian. This occurred about eight hours after the missing person report was filed. Last year, the CCTV Control Center also helped locate and return seven missing elderly people with dementia to their families.

The CCTV Control Center also played a crucial role on the 19th in apprehending a suspect who committed a robbery at a convenience store in Seo-gu. By tracking the suspect's movements via CCTV and through the quick response of monitoring staff, the police were able to arrest the suspect at a nearby PC cafe.

Since its opening in 2013, the Gwangju CCTV Control Center has installed and operated 11,652 security CCTVs at 3,955 locations, including school zones and crime-prone areas. Eighty-two professional operators provide real-time monitoring 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, focusing on protecting the lives and property of citizens.

Additionally, emergency bells have been installed at 3,091 locations to allow for immediate reporting and inquiries in urgent situations. The center also utilizes intelligent video analysis systems for various crime prevention and response measures, such as locating missing persons, intrusion detection, and monitoring wandering individuals.

Kim Gwangsu, head of the Social Disaster Division, said, "We feel a sense of fulfillment in being able to rescue citizens in danger thanks to meticulous monitoring through CCTV," and added, "We will do our best to make Gwangju a safer city by expanding state-of-the-art systems such as intelligent video analysis."