Last Updated:August 31, 2025, 17:16 IST
The hologram was installed in October 2024 in Jeo-dong Park in the centre of Seoul.
South Korean Hologram Police (Reuters image used for representation)
Imagine walking the streets of Seoul, the vibrant capital of South Korea, when suddenly a police officer appears before you. “In case of an emergency, police will be dispatched in real time. CCTV is installed here,” the officer announces—addressing no one in particular—before mysteriously vanishing into thin air. Don’t worry, it’s not a ghost. South Korea has introduced a life-size 3D hologram of a police officer, standing about 170 cm tall and dressed in a seasonal dress uniform, as part of its innovative approach to public safety.
Every evening between 7 PM and 10 PM, the hologram appears every two minutes, delivers a pre‑recorded audio message (reminding people they’re under CCTV surveillance and that police will respond in real time), and then vanishes.
The hologram was installed in October 2024 in Jeo-dong Park in the centre of Seoul. Ever since it was installed, the reported crimes in that park during the hologram’s active hours have dropped by approximately 22 per cent, as per some media reports.
The police attribute this decline to the psychological deterrent effect—the perceived presence of law enforcement appears to curb impulsive crimes like drunken violence and disputes.
If you look closely, you can see that it is not an actual police officer. But it has been confirmed that the mere presence of a hologram can reduce the possibility of crime,” Ahn Dong-hyun, the chief of Jungbu police station, was quoted as saying.
South Korea Crime Rate
South Korea already maintains one of the lowest crime rates among OECD member countries, recording just 0.5 homicides per 100,000 people, according to World Bank data, cited by The Times.
This is notably lower than the United Kingdom’s rate of 1.0 and only slightly higher than Japan’s exceptionally low rate of 0.2 per 100,000.
Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can follow her…Read More
Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can follow her… Read More
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