Korea National Police Agency to Introduce 14,000 Body Cameras with an Investment of 20 Billion Won Over 5 Years

With the legalization of wearable recording devices (body cameras) through legal amendments, the Korea National Police Agency will invest approximately 20 billion won to introduce 14,000 body cameras over the next five years.

Until now, on-site police officers have purchased body cameras out of their own pocket to document crime scenes and collect evidence. However, they will now be able to objectively document crime scenes using officially equipped body cameras that feature enhanced security systems.

On the 18th, Maeil Business Newspaper reported that the police agency plans to fully distribute 14,000 body cameras by 2029 at a cost of 19.486 billion won.

According to the report, a budget of 7.714 billion won has been allocated for the introduction of body cameras this year. The police will hold an information session on the 26th for interested suppliers to provide details about the equipment specifications.

Previously, the police conducted a pilot operation of a body camera called 'Wearable Police Cam' from 2015 to 2021.

However, concerns regarding privacy breaches and personal information protection due to video leaks led to a complete suspension of the program beginning in 2022.

In response, the police plan to strengthen security by establishing a wireless communication network that connects to the body cameras. Footage captured by the police will be immediately transmitted to the National Information Resource Management Agency through linked wireless repeaters (AP), preventing accidental deletions or unauthorized leaks of the footage.

The management system for the body cameras will also transition to digital. Processes such as the recording and retrieval of body cameras, video storage, and logbook creation, which were previously conducted manually, will be automated to maximize work efficiency.

Furthermore, video data collected through body cameras will be utilized, using artificial intelligence (AI), as material for developing public safety policies. In the future, a system will be established incorporating AI monitoring functions, summarizing transmitted footage, shooting types, and significant incidents.

A police official stated, "By officially introducing body cameras with enhanced security, the police will now be able to prevent arbitrary modification, deletion, and editing of body camera footage."

Image source: Body camera 'Wearable Police Cam' that was operated as a pilot from 2015 to 2021 / News1, illustrative image for understanding the article / Photo: Insight