Government to install smart pollution detectors in Busan

The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to install pollution detection sensors in Busan as part of its smart city project in partnership with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the ministry said Thursday.

The pilot project aims to prevent and react to environmental pollution in Gangseo District, Busan, an area that is crowded with industrial complexes. Residents there have been reporting unpleasant smells from pollution, with cases increasing from 18 in 2011 to 178 in 2015, according to the Science Ministry.

The two ministries plans to set up 10 so-called Internet of Things (IoT) sensors in the district to collect environmental data in real time. The sensors will be able to figure out where the pollution is, the exact source of pollutants and the severity of the pollution, the ministry said. A 24-hour traffic control center in Gangseo District will analyze the data.

According to the ministry, the new sensors will be able to tackle pollution more quickly than before. Currently, government staff have to visit sites in person to check on reports after they are filed.

The Science Ministry has been working with Busan on smart city projects since 2015. It has focused on helping drivers find parking lots and monitoring air quality, and it hopes to expand the scope of its IoT services to make a truly “smart” city, it said.

The new project to monitor pollution will be established in the district by the end of this year, with the goal of expanding the service nationwide starting in 2018, the ministry said.

By Kim Jee-hee