A researcher with KEPCO Research Institute (KEPRI) test-opeates an intelligent CCTV. (Photo: KEPRI)

President Kim Jong-gap of Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) discusses bilateral ways of promoting cooperation in industry and technology areas with Dr. Al-Sultan of K.A.CARE during the former’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia. (Photo: KEPCO)

The KEPCO Research Institute (KEPRI) obtained a certification for a CCTV analysis system from the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) in which objects in a video can be tracked and their location and strange behaviors can be identified.

KISA tests, evaluates and certifies intelligent CCTV solutions that companies and research institutions have developed. In order to obtain a certification from KISA, each candidate has to earn more than 90 points out of a possible 100 points in each category of CCTV image processing algorithms.

The CCTV analysis system developed by KEPRI, adopting an intelligent technology, is capable of monitoring and analyzing the outside environment of structures, and it can be used despite dark and inclement weather conditions. The system, based on its own algorism, can process, sort and understand sequences of images produced by thermal imaging cameras other than general cameras in an automated way.

The government has operated an AI application industry promotion team since 2016 to facilitate the industry community’s AI use and commercialization. In the intelligent CCTV field, the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) has implemented three-stage “Deep View” tasks with the goal of real-time image date understanding and prediction over a 10-year period from 2014. KEPRI has been developing AI surveillance technologies by making the most of its own standard technologies it has owned in the IoT and smart home appliance sectors.

 
Currently, Korean companies are staying in an initial stage of analysis using the background of images due to a shortage of software for analyzing multiple images.

The conventional integrated security systems installed at substations by KEPCO provides information on basic entry and departure in images, so there are no such system to recognize and identify pedestrians and intruders. The newly developed intelligent CCTV system is expected to allow the exact surveillance and diagnosis there in the future.

In particular, KEPCO plans to secure a competitive edge in the smart surveillance market by applying the intelligent CCTV analysis system designed to replace naked eye inspections into civilian equipment on top of power facilities operated by KEPCO.

The value of the global CCTV image analysis market was estimated to stand at 547.4 billion won as of 2017, compared to roughly 44.7 billion won in Korea on the same year. About 30 million CCTV camera units are installed around the world, but roughly 4 million units in place in Korea. KEPRI plans to secure a foothold to enter Korean and global CCTV markets through the development of the intelligent CCTV system.

KEPRI President Kim Seok-cheol said, “With the obtaining of a certification from KISA, the smart surveillance system has proved to be excellent.” He said KEPRI plans to advance the intelligent CCTV system into the private sector’s use after verifying it at power facilities operated by KEPCO.