SOUTH KOREA. Shinsegae Duty Free is taking a proactive approach to safety management with the deployment of a new AI-powered safety network at its Myeong-dong, Seoul flagship store and integrated logistics centre.
The system combines Vision AI and Vision-Language Model (VLM) technology to analyse CCTV footage in real time, identify potential safety risks and provide immediate alerts to control personnel.
By moving beyond conventional CCTV monitoring toward AI-powered detection and contextual analysis, Shinsegae Duty Free is strengthening its ability to identify potential incidents before they escalate.
The system has been customised to the distinct operating environments of the two locations.
At the Myeong-dong store, where international travellers and customers carrying large luggage items are common, the technology focuses on customer safety and crowd management.
At the integrated logistics centre, where forklifts, logistics vehicles and cargo-handling operations are conducted, it is designed to support workplace safety.
Combining Vision AI and VLM for smarter safety monitoring
A key feature of the new system is its two-stage video analysis process, which combines Vision AI with a Vision-Language Model.
Vision AI first detects potentially abnormal events in CCTV footage, such as a customer falling or engaging in potentially dangerous behavior.
The VLM then analyses the surrounding context and sequence of actions to determine whether the detected event represents an actual safety risk requiring intervention.
This contextual verification is designed to reduce false alarms and help control personnel focus on situations that require an immediate response.
The approach reflects the evolution of AI-based video monitoring from simple objects and motion detection toward systems capable of understanding the broader context of an event.
Similar Vision AI and VLM-based approaches are being adopted in advanced safety-monitoring applications in South Korea, including large-scale intelligent CCTV projects, Shinseage Duty Free noted.
AI Safety Network tailored to the Myeong-dong store
At Shinsegae Duty Free Myeong-dong, the system is designed to recognise safety risks specific to a busy duty-free shopping environment.
The system can detect situations including:
- Customers moving in the wrong direction on an escalator
- Strollers entering escalator areas
- Customers boarding an escalator without properly holding their luggage handles
- Customer falls and other potentially dangerous incidents
- High levels of congestion around entrances and elevator lobbies
When designated risks are detected, the system can automatically trigger safety measures such as public-address announcements, floor warning lights and voice guidance.
If a customer falls, the system alerts security personnel to support a rapid initial response. It also analyses customer density and movement patterns in key areas, helping staff identify emerging congestion and provide guidance to customers when necessary.
These capabilities are particularly relevant to Shinsegae Duty Free Myeong-dong, which serves a large number of international travellers and handles heavy customer traffic and luggage movement.
Extending AI-powered safety to logistics operations
At Shinsegae Duty Free’s integrated logistics centre, the AI safety network is focused on protecting employees working around forklifts, logistics vehicles and cargo-handling operations.
The system monitors compliance with the centre’’s two-person forklift operating procedure, in which a forklift operator and a designated signaller work together.
It also detects potentially dangerous driving behavior by logistics vehicles and other situations that may create workplace risks.
Through this approach, Shinsegae Duty Free said it is expanding AI-based safety management beyond customer-facing stores to the logistics operations that support the entire duty-free shopping journey.
The initiative also complements the company’s ongoing digital transformation of its logistics operations.
In March, Shinsegae Duty Free announced a partnership with LG Electronics to develop an AI-powered logistics system, with plans to introduce intelligent automation, digital-twin technology and AI-powered video analytics across its logistics center.
Building a comprehensive, technology-driven safety framework
The new Vision AI system is the latest step in Shinsegae Duty Free’s long-term commitment to technology-driven safety management.
The company operates S-DRI (Shinsegae Daily Inspection), its proprietary safety work management system, which enables employees to identify and manage potential hazards before work begins.
At its integrated logistics centre, Shinsegae Duty Free has also introduced a Smart Electrical Fire Prevention System that monitors abnormal conditions such as overcurrent and leakage current in real time.
When an anomaly is detected, the system provides an immediate warning and can be linked to automatic fire-suppression equipment to help mitigate fire risks.
Shinsegae Duty Free has also established company-wide safety management standards. Its headquarters, Myeong-dong store, Incheon International Airport operations and integrated logistics centre have received ISO 45001 certification, the international standard for occupational health and safety management systems.
The company says it will continue to expand the use of advanced technologies as part of a broader effort to create safer environments for customers and employees.
“By applying AI technology across both our retail stores and logistics operations, we are creating a more proactive and precise approach to safety management,” said Shinsegae Duty Free Senior Vice President Hee-jae Lee.
“The new Vision AI-powered safety network builds on our existing safety management systems and allows us to identify potential risks in real time while supporting faster responses on the ground.
“We will continue to leverage advanced technology to raise safety standards across every part of our operations.”
Shinsegae Duty Free said its goal is not simply to monitor what has already happened, but to use technology to anticipate potential risks, understand their context and enable faster action.
This approach will create a safer and more seamless environment from the sales floor to the logistics centre, the retailer observed. ✈
