AI cameras spot suicide attempts in South Korea's capital

In South Korea's glittering capital, the Han River bridges are both postcard landmarks and notorious suicide hotspots, watched by AI-powered cameras trained to spot danger before it is too late.

The system alerts first responders if someone lingers in certain locations, enters an area deemed unsafe or picks up one of the bridges' dedicated suicide-prevention phones.

It has been strikingly effective, said Kim Jun-young, chief of the Hangang Bridge CCTV Integrated Control Center, with the rescue rate over the river rising to more than 99 percent from 56 percent in 2012. Emergency crews can reach most bridges within five minutes -- the critical window to intervene and save a life, he said. According to government figures, it remained the top cause of death for those aged 10 to 49 in 2024.