Seongdong-gu 'Smart Digital Volunteer Group' Operation to Bridge the Digital Divide

Operation of Smart Digital Volunteer Group Composed of Retired Professionals Aged 50-65... Providing Education and Services Such as Smartphone Cleansing Service to Digitally Disadvantaged Groups to Bridge the Deepening Digital Divide in the Non-Face-to-Face Era

Seongdong-gu 'Smart Digital Volunteer Group'

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) has started operating a ‘Smart Digital Volunteer Group’ targeting each community service center from this month to support the digitally marginalized.

Recently, due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, most social activities have shifted online, and contactless interactions such as unmanned stores, online grocery shopping, and ordering food using kiosks have become part of everyday life.

To address the digital divide arising from this rapid shift to a contactless society, the district proposed a new ‘volunteer group.’ The ‘Smart Digital Volunteer Group,’ selected through the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s ‘New Middle-aged Career Job Contest Project,’ provides services and education to the digitally marginalized to prepare for the emergence of digital disparities.

In particular, the volunteer group consists of three retired professionals from the ‘5060 new middle-aged generation’ who possess experience and certifications related to computers, digital devices, and video editing, and are familiar with handling smart devices. They plan to operate with friendly explanations tailored to the elderly’s perspective.

The group will visit community service centers sequentially and provide one-on-one education through prior application, aiming to offer service education to 300 people in the first half of this year.

In the first half of the year, they will attract interest in digital technology through ‘Smartphone Cleansing,’ which helps organize indiscriminately accumulated data and transfer it to cloud storage or portable memory devices. Subsequently, programs will be provided on how to use kiosks or POS terminals and e-banking methods using smartphones, which can also aid future employment.

Those wishing to apply can participate by pre-registering through the Seongdong-gu Office website or the relevant department.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “Seongdong is realizing a ‘Smart Inclusive City’ that anyone in the district can enjoy by introducing technology-based innovative policies such as ‘Mobile Electronic Register,’ ‘Smart Crosswalks,’ and ‘Smart Shelters.’ Especially in an era where contactless smart technology use is emphasized due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, we will spare no effort to minimize the digitally marginalized.”