Inform Your Needy Neighbors via KakaoTalk!... Operation of 'Dobong Hope Notification Talk'

If you have neighbors in need or personal difficulties you cannot share, request help via KakaoTalk 'Dobong Hope Alert Talk'... Since its launch in December last year, over 23 one-on-one welfare consultations and support cases have been handled.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Dobong-gu (Mayor Dongjin Lee) has been operating the non-face-to-face consultation channel “Dobong Hope Notification Talk” on KakaoTalk since December 2020 to find and support vulnerable households who are reluctant to expose their difficulties despite hardships in daily life due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

“Dobong Hope Notification Talk” allows any Dobong-gu resident to easily report a neighbor’s difficult situation or request help for themselves via mobile.

In addition to notifying about neighbors in need, the channel also provides various welfare information, making it a “two birds with one stone” solution.

As of early February 2021, 292 users have added the channel and communicated, and about 23 cases have received support through consultations, including emergency aid, linkage to basic livelihood security applications, financial information, and job information.

The channel operates targeting all neighbors in Dobong-gu who are facing difficulties such as ▲having difficulty making a living due to business closure or unemployment, ▲suffering from serious illness or injury, ▲having difficulty with daily life due to mobility issues living alone, or ▲households requiring care such as elderly or disabled persons.

Residents in need can search “Dobong Hope Notification Talk” in the KakaoTalk search bar, add as a friend, and request 1:1 welfare consultation. Then, the local welfare planner promptly provides consultation, linking to benefits and services, and selecting the case for tailored support such as general, specialized, or crisis case management.

Mayor Dongjin Lee of Dobong-gu said, “As the non-face-to-face period has lengthened during COVID-19, neighbors in difficulty are feeling more isolated,” and urged, “If you see a neighbor in a difficult situation or if you yourself are in a tough spot, please do not hesitate to notify us via KakaoTalk.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.