AI-Based 13-Language Simultaneous Interpretation Service Launched This Month
Customized Guidance Service for Disabled and Pregnant Clients by Civil Complaint Counselors
Yongsan-gu civil complaint counselors are utilizing multilingual simultaneous interpretation services for handling complaints. Provided by Yongsan-gu.
Yongsan-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Park Hee-young) announced on the 3rd that it has launched the first-ever multilingual simultaneous interpretation service among Seoul's autonomous districts starting this month for its multinational residents. The initiative aims to provide friendly and accurate civil service guidance to visitors at the district office and to secure the district's international competitiveness through administrative services tailored to the era of globalization.
The district recently installed a 55-inch touch-type interactive transparent monitor capable of simultaneous interpretation at the information desk of the General Civil Service Office on the 2nd floor of the district office. After a pilot operation throughout September, the service officially began this month.
The AI-based simultaneous interpretation service supports a total of 13 languages: Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, German, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Malay, Arabic, French, Russian, and Spanish. As of the second quarter of this year, there are 13,390 registered foreigners from over 177 countries residing in Yongsan-gu.
Civil petitioners select their desired language and press a button to make inquiries by voice. The foreign language question is translated in real-time and displayed on the screen along with Korean. The civil service counselor checks this and responds in Korean, and the petitioner can then see the answer translated into the selected foreign language.
A district official stated, “With the simultaneous interpretation service, multinational residents will be able to use administrative services provided by Yongsan District Office more smoothly. We will continue to improve the service to maintain even more accurate interpretation quality.”
In addition, three civil service counselors assist vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, pregnant women, the elderly, and foreigners who find district office procedures difficult, helping them to handle their affairs more easily.
The counselors are well-versed in the visiting departments, administrative organization, civil petition content, various events, and announcements to provide accurate information to petitioners. They also guide users on how to use unmanned civil service issuance machines or assist elderly people who have difficulty filling out documents by explaining how to complete civil service forms. For petitioners unsure of which department to visit, they provide precise guidance and assistance.
A district official explained, “The three civil service counselors have administrative-suitable backgrounds such as retired public officials, department store customer service staff, and public institution work experience. This is also a model case for job creation in the ‘100-year life era,’ allowing retired seniors to continue working in their areas of expertise while contributing to social service.”
District Mayor Park Hee-young said, “Since Yongsan-gu is a city where diverse cultures and languages coexist, careful consideration is necessary. We will do our best to enhance resident convenience without leaving anyone behind and contribute to improving satisfaction with civil administrative services.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
