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Busan Metropolitan City Selected for the 2026 Local Government Disaster Prevention Activity Support Program

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, announced that its “Busan-Style Smart Sewer Pipeline Safety Management Project Through the Procurement of Intelligent Robots” has been selected for the 2026 Local Government Disaster Prevention Activity Support Program.

The project was developed to proactively address the rapidly increasing occurrence of ground subsidence (sinkholes), driven by large-scale underground excavation and aging sewer pipelines, through the application of artificial intelligence (AI).

Previously, sewer pipeline inspections relied on visual examination of CCTV footage and follow-up confirmation, making it difficult to conduct comprehensive inspections across extensive pipeline networks while also posing the risk of interpretation errors.

To address these limitations, Busan Metropolitan City plans to shift toward a "smart preventive administration" model by integrating advanced robotics and AI technologies to identify potential hazards that cannot be detected through visual inspection alone.

The project will be carried out over a five-month period from August through December 2026, with a total investment of KRW 125 million to introduce AI-powered automated sewer pipeline inspection equipment based on advanced robotic technologies.

The project includes:

• ●Deployment of intelligent mobile robots: Instead of sending personnel into high-risk confined sewer spaces, semi-autonomous tracked and wheeled robots will be deployed to improve worker safety and dramatically increase inspection efficiency. The robots will be equipped with high-resolution cameras, 3D laser scanners, ultrasonic sensors, and gas sensors, enabling precise measurement of cracks, hazardous gases, and other conditions inside sewer pipelines.

• ●AI-based automatic defect detection: AI deep-learning algorithms will analyze the collected video footage and sensor data. The AI system will automatically detect and analyze six major types of defects—cracks, structural damage, leaks, subsidence, tree root intrusion, and sediment accumulation—allowing maintenance priorities to be determined proactively rather than relying on reactive repairs after damage has already occurred.

Busan Metropolitan City expects the project to enable early diagnosis of sewer pipeline defects, thereby preventing major social disasters such as ground subsidence and significantly reducing public anxiety. In addition, the City anticipates substantial savings in post-disaster costs, including infrastructure restoration expenses and compensation payments.

Kim Ki-hwan, Assistant Mayor of Citizen Safety Office, said, "By deploying advanced robots and artificial intelligence in underground spaces that are difficult for personnel to access, we expect to dramatically improve both the safety and accuracy of sewer pipeline inspections. Building on the data accumulated through this project, we will continue advancing Busan into one of the world's leading smart safety cities."