Gwanak-gu Operates 'Ddokddok Check-in Service' to Prevent Solitary Deaths

On the 14th, ‘Seoul Welfare Foundation and Rookies Co., Ltd.’ Signed an Agreement… Actively Responding to the Risk of Solitary Death through Mutual Cooperation

Contributing to the Establishment of a Detailed Welfare Safety Net for 1,000 Single-Person Households Alongside the Existing Smart Plug Service

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Junhee) is accelerating the creation of a ‘Gwanak-gu without Worries about Solitary Death’ by establishing a monitoring system for single-person households using smart technology through a business agreement with the Seoul Welfare Foundation and Rookies on the 14th.

Since January, the district has formed the ‘Gwanak Life Love TF’ led by the Deputy Mayor to promote various projects aimed at preventing solitary deaths and restoring social networks for the increasing number of single-person households each year. Starting May 1, a new welfare safety net called the ‘Smart Check-in Service’ utilizing IT technology will be introduced for 1,000 single-person households at high risk of solitary death.

The ‘Smart Check-in Service’ is a social contribution project promoted by Rookies and Korea Qualcomm that analyzes the call and reception history of the target individuals’ mobile phones and automatically makes a check-in call if there is no communication record for a certain period to confirm their well-being.

In particular, a mobile app function that can check the number of steps taken by the target has been added to improve monitoring accuracy, and it will be integrated with the ‘Smart Plug Service,’ which measures power consumption of home appliances, enabling efficient prevention of solitary death.

Park Jun-hee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu (second from the right), signed an agreement with the Seoul Welfare Foundation and Lookus to prevent solitary deaths.

If the target does not answer the automatic check-in call, the responsible staff at the local community center is notified to enable a prompt response to the crisis. Upon receiving the alert, the staff will immediately check on the individual’s well-being through a visit or phone call and listen to any difficulties in daily life to connect them with appropriate welfare services.

According to this agreement, the ‘Seoul Welfare Foundation’ will monitor the service operation and progress, while ‘Rookies’ will provide the equipment and personnel necessary to build the service’s standard integrated platform. Additionally, the budget required for the project will be sponsored by Rookies and Korea Qualcomm.

Applications for the service can be made at the local community center of the applicant’s address. Besides low-income vulnerable groups, any resident who is socially isolated or at risk of solitary death can apply free of charge.

Park Junhee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, stated, “As single-person households increase, social issues such as solitary death and reclusive individuals are becoming serious,” and added, “I hope the operation of the ‘Smart Check-in Service’ will serve as an opportunity to strengthen the welfare safety net for vulnerable groups.”

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