Shinan-gun, Korea's First 'Smart Senior Center' Small Welfare Facility Established

Korea's First Smart Senior Center Operation Combining KT Network Infrastructure and AI

KT built a small welfare center on an island village with 25 million won from its social contribution linked project funds. ⓒ Asia Economy

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Park Woo-ryang) announced on the 14th that it newly built the Amtae-myeon Gidong Senior Center in July and established network infrastructure and AI (artificial intelligence) to transform it into a space that not only bridges the digital divide for the elderly but also improves their quality of life, by creating a small welfare center for island villages with 25 million KRW funded through KT’s social contribution linked project.

The newly established ‘Small Welfare Center for Island Villages’ utilizes KT’s network infrastructure and AI-based artificial intelligence to control various home appliances such as electric curtains, lights, and air conditioners through voice commands. In addition, with the strengthening of non-face-to-face activities due to COVID-19, it introduced non-face-to-face temperature measurement and video conferencing systems to support remote meetings, education, and cultural activities, and also built various customized play operation systems for the elderly.

Furthermore, an educational kiosk was introduced to provide opportunities to experience various kiosk uses such as transportation reservations (train) through a kiosk app developed by KT, unmanned civil service issuance machines, hospital reservations, and ATM usage, creating an environment where digital technology can be accessed and used in daily life.

In line with the recent aging society, senior care robots were provided to elderly people living alone (10 households selected) who are vulnerable to management, enabling real-time care for those who are difficult to visit in person through various functions such as emergency alerts and care services.

Kim Sam-jin, team leader at KT, said, “As part of ESG management goals, we established the ‘Small Welfare Center for Island Villages’ as a starting point for innovation in island senior centers together with Sinan-gun. We will continuously strive to improve elderly welfare so that seniors living alone can receive care services and other seniors can enjoy high-quality leisure activities and cultural benefits, enabling them to live healthy and happy daily lives.”

Governor Park Woo-ryang said, “The ‘Small Welfare Center for Island Villages’ project, conducted as a matching project between Sinan-gun and KT, is the nation’s first smart senior center integrated platform. Starting with the Gidong Senior Center in Amtae-myeon, Sinan-gun, it will be further expanded to senior centers within Sinan-gun in the future.”

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