The city of Busan introduced a new digital platform called Finding All, designed to streamline the process of retrieving lost items through a combination of blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI). Launched on November 5, this citizen-focused platform represents a major upgrade in municipal services, simplifying the way people report and locate lost belongings. Developed as part of Busan’s Blockchain Specialized Cluster Creation Project, the platform was realized in partnership with the Ministry of Science and ICT, with implementation support from Busan Techno Park and Sejong Telecom leading a development consortium that includes BNK System as a key partner.
Challenges in Current Lost-and-Found Systems
Data from the National Police Agency highlights the scale of lost property in South Korea, estimating that around 1 million items go missing annually, with daily losses averaging over 3,000 items. Despite this high volume, only about half of the lost items are successfully returned to their owners. Existing lost-and-found systems, spread across various public transit stations and other locations, typically require individuals to manually report lost items or visit multiple centers to find them, a cumbersome process that limits recovery success. Complicated reporting procedures further discourage the reporting of found items, resulting in a high number of unreported belongings and a low rate of successful recoveries.
Finding All seeks to resolve these challenges by utilizing AI for real-time image analysis of lost items, allowing it to quickly compare lost property with reported findings to offer users the best possible match. Blockchain technology underpins the platform’s record-keeping system, ensuring data integrity and helping prevent fraud or legal conflicts in the lost item reporting process. By securely recording all information on a blockchain, the platform ensures that all actions and records are transparent, tamper-proof, and accessible.
Streamlined Search and Enhanced User Experience
Accessible via mobile and web applications, Finding All integrates directly with the National Police Agency’s Lost112 system, providing users a centralized, streamlined approach to lost item recovery. Users can conduct searches through a single application without the need to visit multiple locations. The platform is equipped with multi-language support, offering services in Chinese, Japanese, English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, making it easier for international visitors to Busan to report and recover lost items. Additionally, the platform includes features like push notifications to alert nearby users of missing items and allows individuals to offer rewards, further incentivizing community participation in item recovery.
Solutions for Businesses and Social Impact Expansion
Beyond individual users, Finding All also serves businesses like hotels, shopping malls, and amusement parks with an enterprise-level solution that digitizes lost-and-found management. Businesses can now handle the entire process—from item registration to final return—in a digital format, enhancing customer service and operational efficiency. The development team envisions expanding the platform’s utility beyond just lost items; they aim to leverage the underlying technology to tackle other social concerns, such as locating missing pets or individuals. Initially available in Busan, Finding All plans to extend its services across the country in future phases.
In celebration of the platform’s launch, Busan is offering QR code stickers and name tags to the first 1,000 users who install the application, providing citizens an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the new service.
A Step Toward Making Blockchain Mainstream in Everyday Life
Busan’s Financial Start-Up Policy Officer, Nam Dong-woo, highlighted that Finding All showcases how blockchain technology can deliver practical benefits to daily life. He pointed out that this service reflects the ways in which Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies are becoming integrated into the lives of citizens. Nam emphasized that initiatives like Finding All are also a step forward in positioning Busan as a global leader in blockchain innovation.
By blending AI’s analytic capabilities with blockchain’s secure record-keeping, Finding All provides a model for how emerging technologies can improve daily processes. As it expands, the platform could pave the way for even broader applications, furthering Busan’s goals of using technology to meet the practical needs of its citizens.