[Company Exploration]② IMS Union: Comprehensive Hotel Management with AI

Improving Efficiency with 'Hotelcare25':
Delivering the Best Service through Optimal Personnel Allocation

Support Needed for Startups to Expand Manufacturing Facilities
Including Kiosk Production

"Creating a Smart Tourism Belt Model Based on the Region"

Editor's Note
There is a widespread belief that running a business requires being in the Seoul metropolitan area, where resources and infrastructure are concentrated, rather than in the provinces. The flow of talent, capital, and information also naturally gravitates toward the capital region. Within this structure, local businesses are often described with the label of being in an "underprivileged environment." However, even with such perceptions, there are quite a few companies throughout Gwangju and South Jeolla Province that are expanding their presence in the market based on technological prowess and expertise. Not only are they overcoming the limitations of their region, but they are also creating new opportunities with their own competitive edge. In light of this, The Asia Business Daily Honam Reporting Team aims to focus on companies in Gwangju and South Jeolla that are quietly growing their competitiveness through unique technologies, in order to look beyond the capital-centric perspective and examine the present and future of local industries.

"The development of AI technology is not about reducing jobs, but about increasing the efficiency of existing personnel. Through our company's unmanned control system, you will experience the creation of new jobs and the best possible service."

IMS Union's Junhee Yoo, General Manager, is explaining the technology of HotelCare25 and Siyoung. Photo by Chankee Min

This is the goal of Joonhee Yoo, General Director of IMS Union, who founded the company in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province in 2022, leveraging AI technology.

The core technologies of IMS Union are the AI-powered unmanned control system 'Hotelcare25' and the AI search engine character 'Siyoung.'

Hotelcare25 is a system that manages the entire hotel operation, offering a level of control far beyond that of a typical unmanned hotel. Through Hotelcare25, the efficiency of all hotel operations—including CMS, PMS, and RMS—can be significantly improved.

Comprehensive Hotel Operation with AI Technology

First, Hotelcare25 manages every aspect of a room's condition, from cleaning status to temperature control. It also plans to develop technology that can detect emergencies—such as guest pulse rates—using only sensors, with the intention of applying this to medical tourism as well.

Additionally, the system manages everything from room assignments and payment systems to settlement and asset management. Because Hotelcare25's channel manager program automatically controls room allocation, it can prevent overbooking in advance.

Another advantage is that it can substitute for the role of an RM (Revenue Management), a position usually reserved for five-star hotels. Hotelcare25 automatically analyzes market conditions—such as local traffic, major events, festivals, and sporting events—and adjusts room rates in real time. It can also analyze the real-time prices of other lodging facilities, ensuring price competitiveness and minimizing vacancies.

IMS Union's Joonhee Yoo, General Manager, is explaining the technology of HotelCare25 and Siyoung. Photo by Minkan Ki

Siyoung is an AI engine that perfectly complements Hotelcare25. The name Siyoung means "managing time" or "TIME ZERO" and was developed to provide unmanned guest services. Through Siyoung, guests can check their reservation status, nearby tourist attractions, restaurants, and how to use kiosks. It also supports 50 languages, enabling two-way communication with foreign guests.

Director Yoo explained, "Even at most unmanned hotels, staff are deployed and must handle every minor complaint from guests, making it difficult to provide the best service. The goal of Hotelcare25 is to address these shortcomings and enable staff to deliver the best service possible in their respective roles."

Reasons for Choosing Gwangju and South Jeolla

Currently, IMS Union has expanded to eight lodging facilities nationwide, starting with Ocean Hotel in Mokpo. The region where the company is most focused on expansion is the Honam area.

The technology behind Hotelcare25 and Siyoung is not only useful for hotel operations but can also be applied to tourism by analyzing local population flow and specialized industries.

Director Yoo is confident that establishing a smart tourism belt centered on Gwangju and South Jeolla will become an innovative model to address the issue of regional decline. The goal is to spread this successful case across the country.

The vision of IMS Union is to go beyond being a simple technology company and become an "AI lifestyle platform that redefines the value of space." The aim is for the smart hotels and tourism complexes created by IMS Union to become the global standard, and for the AI 'Siyoung' to be the most reliable companion for travelers everywhere.

Director Yoo stated, "There are countless beautiful tourist spots in the Honam region. Our goal is to connect these with our technology to help attract visitors and contribute to regional development. We aim to improve people's lives through technology and stand at the center of innovation that links the local area with the world."

Despite these ambitions to grow a startup based in Gwangju and South Jeolla, the reality is that there is still a lack of support for running a business in the region.

IMS Union is striving to directly manufacture various models of robots equipped with Hotelcare25 and Siyoung. In the case of kiosks, directly developing and equipping them with AI results in costs that are about half compared to using external suppliers. However, to produce robots, factory space is required, and there is a severe shortage of support for startups seeking such facilities in Gwangju and South Jeolla.

Furthermore, although there was once a policy in some parts of South Jeolla that provided rent support to young entrepreneurs, it was discontinued three years ago, and wage subsidy policies for employee recruitment have also disappeared.

Director Yoo lamented, "Once a company reaches the level of a small or medium-sized enterprise, some support measures become available, but it is very difficult for startups to grow in the region. Startups often run at a loss because any revenue is immediately invested in hiring staff or developing technology, but most investors refuse to invest, citing insufficient sales."

He added, "If we could build a factory to develop robots, it would generate additional jobs. Even if direct financial support is not possible due to budget constraints, I hope there will at least be policies to help startups form business agreements with local companies that already manufacture robots, so that these measures can be felt on the ground."

He continued, "If support were provided for hiring staff or paying rent, we could increase our operating profits and attract more investors, but so far startups in Gwangju and South Jeolla do not feel much support. I expect that once the era of the United Gwangju-Jeonnam Metropolitan City begins after the election, investment in companies in the region will increase."

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