South Korea Plans to Use AI to Manage Forest Systems

The South Korean Forest Agency recently released a government blueprint for “becoming a global forest power with abundant forests”. The blueprint selects topics such as strengthening forest disaster response, achieving sustainable forest management, and digitizing forest management, actively introducing new technologies, strengthening environmental safety, and boosting the forest economy.
In order to cut off large-scale wildfires from the source, the South Korean Forest Agency will cooperate with local autonomous groups to strengthen wildfire prevention activities. They built a 24-hour mountain fire monitoring system using AI technology, centered around the high risk areas of Gyeongsangbuk do and Gangwon do.
They also plan to integrate the forest and surrounding debris flow information systems managed by various departments to form a fast and effective forecasting system, reducing blind spots in debris flow disasters.

By 2026, South Korea will build and support a “digital forest platform” based on AI. This platform will collect and manage national forest resource data, including forests, valleys, water maps, and landscape maps, and reorganize the current scattered forest management related data through the forest management connection system.
Ensure real-time updates of South Korean mountain and forest spatial data through the Agricultural and Forestry Satellite (expected to be launched in 2025). At the same time, satellite data acquisition will be an important component of managing “digital forest platforms” and made public to the public, supporting their use of forests for employment and entrepreneurship.
In addition, South Korea links the environmental, social, and corporate governance needs of enterprises with cooperation in the forest sector, and promotes active participation of the public in forest management through forest carbon offsetting systems and other means.