Namyangju Pilots AI-Powered Urban Flood Prediction System

Namyangju, a city in Gyeonggi Province, is piloting an artificial intelligence-based urban flood prediction system. The initiative aims to analyze flood-risk areas in real time during heavy rainfall and automate response decision-making.

The city announced Wednesday that it signed a memorandum of understanding for "Development of High-Precision Urban Flood Analysis and Prediction Technology Based on Intelligent Information Technology" with Hongik University's Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation and the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT).

Existing flood forecasting systems operate primarily based on river water level changes, limiting their ability to predict inland flooding in low-lying urban areas and around drainage facilities. The new AI system analyzes complex data including rainfall, terrain and drainage capacity to identify at-risk areas before flooding occurs.

Under the agreement, the city plans to pilot smart flood management functions including large-scale rainfall flood prediction, real-time analysis of flooded areas, AI-based risk mapping, river and drainage monitoring integration, and automated response decision-making.

The roles have been clearly defined. Namyangju will provide demonstration sites and administrative support, while Hongik University's Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation will handle technology development and educational programs. KICT will be responsible for urban and construction sector demonstration research.

AI-based urban flood prediction technology is still in its early stages in Korea. During last year's heavy rainfall in the Seoul metropolitan area, large-scale flooding in Osan and Pyeongtaek exposed limitations in existing forecasting systems.

"Safety is the first step toward citizen happiness and the standard that determines a city's quality," Mayor Joo Kwang-duk said. "The city has built a comprehensive 'lifetime safety net' across disaster response, public safety, care services, transportation and mental health, and this agreement is significant in strengthening our preemptive response system to protect citizens' lives and property."