AI scans Korea's highways to keep wildlife, drivers safe

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment will launch an AI-powered roadkill prevention pilot on National Route 17 in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, on Wednesday. Cameras and AI will detect wildlife approaching the road and activate LED displays and flashing lights to warn drivers. The system is intended to address gaps in fencing at intersections and ramps, where conventional measures are difficult to install without blocking access. Officials plan to add another site by 2027 and assess long-term collision data before considering nationwide expansion.

The ministry’s partnership with the National Institute of Ecology and the National Park Service began in July 2024, with POSCO DX engineering and installing the detection hardware.

Preliminary tests took place last year in Yangpyeong in Gyeonggi Province and in Hoengseong and Pyeongchang in Gangwon Province.

During a test in Yangpyeong, the system detected a water deer and sent immediate warnings to approaching cars.

Lee Chae-eun, director general of the ministry’s Nature Conservation Bureau, said the initiative links corporate technology with public-sector expertise to protect wildlife and drivers and expand private-sector participation in biodiversity preservation.

Published Oct 27, 2026 2:34 pm KST

Smart cameras analyze roadside video in real time to flash early warnings to drivers

An artificial intelligence-powered roadside system detects a deer near National Route 6 in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi Province, during pilot testing. Courtesy of Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment

On winding roads where mountainous terrain meets heavy traffic, a rustle in the brush at dusk can turn into a deadly collision within seconds. Roadkill incidents pose a constant hazard to wildlife and motorists across Korea, often resulting in severe property damage, human injuries and secondary pileups on high-speed thoroughfares.

In a bid to prevent such incidents, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment on Wednesday will launch a pilot artificial intelligence (AI)-powered roadkill prevention system along National Route 17 in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province in central Korea.

Conventional mitigation measures like eco-corridors, wildlife overpasses and fencing have reduced animal fatalities along long stretches of highway. However, intersections and entrance or exit ramps remain notoriously difficult to secure without blocking traffic or human access, leaving vulnerable gaps in eco-fencing networks.

The new system bridges those gaps using smart surveillance.

Closed-circuit television cameras continuously monitor roadside terrain. When an animal steps toward the road, AI algorithms analyze the footage in real time to distinguish wildlife from passing vehicles, pedestrians or swaying foliage. Once a creature is detected, the system immediately triggers nearby LED display boards and flashing warning lights, giving oncoming drivers vital seconds to reduce speed and avoid impact.

The Cheongju deployment marks an expansion of a public-private partnership initiated in July 2024. The ministry oversees administrative policy alongside technical support from the National Institute of Ecology and the National Park Service, while tech provider POSCO DX engineered and installed the detection hardware.

The initiative follows preliminary testing conducted last year across three high-risk rural corridors in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, as well as Hoengseong and Pyeongchang in Gangwon Province. In one notable test run in Yangpyeong, the system successfully spotted a water deer — a native species frequently involved in vehicle strikes — flashing instantaneous warnings to approaching cars.

With the Chungcheong region now included, officials plan to add another high-risk location by 2027 to assess long-term collision reduction data before considering a nationwide rollout.

"It is critical to actively leverage artificial intelligence technology to protect both wildlife and drivers," said Lee Chae-eun, director general of the ministry's Nature Conservation Bureau. "By linking corporate technology with public sector expertise, we will reduce roadkill incidents while expanding opportunities for private enterprise to participate in biodiversity preservation."

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

韩国气候、能源和环境部将于周三在忠清北道清州市的17号国道上启动一项人工智能辅助的道路动物死亡预防试点项目。该系统将利用摄像头和人工智能技术探测接近道路的野生动物，并启动LED显示屏和闪光灯以提醒驾驶员。此举旨在弥补十字路口和匝道等区域围栏的不足，因为在这些区域，传统的防护措施难以在不阻碍通行的情况下实施。相关部门计划在2027年前增设一个试点地点，并在评估长期事故数据后，再考虑在全国范围内推广。

该部与国家生态研究所和国家公园管理局的合作始于 2024 年 7 月，由 POSCO DX 负责设计和安装检测硬件。

去年在京畿道杨平市以及江原道横城和平昌市进行了初步测试。

在杨平的一次测试中，该系统检测到了一只水鹿，并立即向接近的车辆发出警告。

韩国自然保护部自然保护局局长李彩恩表示，该倡议将企业技术与公共部门专业知识相结合，以保护野生动植物和驱动因素，并扩大私营部门参与生物多样性保护。

发布于2026年10月27日下午2:34（韩国标准时间）

智能摄像头实时分析路边视频，向驾驶员发出早期预警。

在京畿道杨平郡6号国道附近进行的试点测试中，一套人工智能路边系统探测到了一只鹿。图片由韩国气候、能源和环境部提供。

在蜿蜒曲折、山路与车流交汇的道路上，黄昏时分灌木丛中的一声沙沙声都可能在几秒钟内演变成致命的碰撞。在韩国，路杀事件对野生动物和驾驶者构成持续的威胁，往往导致严重的财产损失、人员伤亡，并在高速公路上引发连环追尾事故。

为了防止此类事件发生，韩国气候、能源和环境部将于周三在韩国中部忠清北道清州市的17号国道上启动一项人工智能（AI）驱动的道路动物死亡预防试点系统。

传统的缓解措施，例如生态走廊、野生动物通道和围栏，已经减少了高速公路沿线的动物死亡数量。然而，在不阻碍交通或人员通行的情况下，十字路口和出入口匝道的安全防护仍然非常困难，这使得生态围栏网络存在脆弱的缺口。

新系统利用智能监控弥补了这些差距。

闭路电视摄像头持续监控路边地形。当动物靠近道路时，人工智能算法会实时分析画面，区分野生动物与过往车辆、行人或摇曳的树叶。一旦检测到动物，系统会立即启动附近的LED显示屏和闪烁警示灯，为迎面而来的驾驶员争取宝贵的几秒钟来减速并避免碰撞。

清州部署标志着始于 2024 年 7 月的公私合作项目的扩展。该部委负责行政政策，国家生态研究所和国家公园管理局提供技术支持，而技术提供商 POSCO DX 则负责设计和安装检测硬件。

该计划是在去年对京畿道杨平县以及江原道横城和平昌三条高风险农村走廊进行初步测试之后推出的。在杨平县的一次重要测试中，该系统成功识别出一只水鹿——一种经常与车辆相撞的本地物种——并立即向驶近的车辆发出警告。

随着忠清地区被纳入其中，官员们计划在 2027 年前再增加一个高风险地区，以评估长期减少碰撞的数据，然后再考虑在全国范围内推广。

“积极利用人工智能技术来保护野生动物和驾驶员至关重要，”韩国自然资源部自然保护局局长李彩恩表示，“通过将企业技术与公共部门的专业知识相结合，我们将减少道路交通事故，同时扩大私营企业参与生物多样性保护的机会。”

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。