A South Korean lawmaker has proposed using AI to combine data from surveillance equipment, ground robots, and drones to monitor North Korean activity along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), with remotely operated weapons also integrated into the network, Asia Today reported.
Yoo Yong-won, a member of the opposition People Power Party, presented the “DMZ Iron Wall Project” during a parliamentary audit of the South Korean Defense Ministry.
The proposal seeks to detect border incursions more quickly while reducing soldiers’ exposure to mines and other hazards.
The plan would build on ongoing upgrades to South Korea’s border monitoring equipment and plans for an AI-based command system.
Robots, drones, and observation posts would feed information into that system, allowing personnel to assess activity across multiple locations.
AI would combine and analyze the incoming data to help identify North Korean troop movements and possible crossings of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), the boundary running through the DMZ.
Robots for Hazardous Patrols
Under the proposal, legged robots and wheeled or tracked unmanned ground vehicles would undertake surveillance, reconnaissance, and mine detection near the MDL.
Assigning these tasks to robots would limit the need for soldiers to enter potentially mined areas.
Operating those vehicles would also require new infrastructure.
Yoo’s plan calls for east-west routes through the DMZ, supported by communications links, power supplies, charging facilities, and maintenance sites.
Additional measures include retractable observation towers and wider use of unmanned guard posts equipped with surveillance sensors and remotely controlled weapon stations.
A digital replica of the operating environment, known as a digital twin, would support testing and training before deployment.
