Gwanak-gu Launches "Mobile Haengbokeum" in February
First in Seoul to Distribute Portable Smart Devices to All Community Service Centers
Improving Welfare Service Accessibility and Administrative Efficiency for Vulnerable Groups
Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) will actively promote the "Mobile Haengbokeum" project from February, utilizing portable tablet devices to make it more convenient to provide welfare consultations and accept service applications on-site.
Until now, applicants had to visit the local community service center in person to apply for welfare services, and welfare officers had to manually enter consultation details and documents into the system even when visiting households, causing administrative inconvenience.
Accordingly, the district operates the "Mobile Haengbokeum" project to simplify administrative procedures and greatly improve convenience for vulnerable applicants such as elderly people with mobility difficulties, severely disabled individuals, and socially isolated households.
First, the district will distribute tablets to all community service centers in the district, the first in Seoul to do so. Welfare officers can directly meet residents with tablets to provide on-site welfare consultations and applications, and access the Social Security Information System in real time to immediately check necessary information of the visited households during consultations, enabling more accurate judgment of eligibility for support.
Additionally, ▲document processing ▲consultation recording ▲note-taking can be digitized, increasing accessibility to welfare services for vulnerable groups with mobility difficulties, reducing administrative costs, and improving processing speed.
Furthermore, the district has been actively utilizing an AI-based initial consultation system for welfare blind spots since July last year.
Previously, welfare officers conducted initial consultations by visiting or calling households suspected to be in crisis individually. Now, the AI automated phone system identifies the crisis situation and welfare needs of target households, and welfare officers handle in-depth consultations when necessary, improving work efficiency.
Since the system's introduction, the district has conducted AI initial consultations for 5,000 households suspected to be in crisis, linking 2,600 cases to public and private welfare services.
Park Jun-hee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, said, "'Mobile Haengbokeum' is part of proactive administration to efficiently provide high-quality services to residents who find it difficult to visit community service centers by utilizing digital technology in welfare fieldwork. We will continue to do our utmost to improve accessibility to welfare services and eliminate welfare blind spots."
Songpa-gu, Full Effort to Find Hidden Hope
Systematic Management and Customized Welfare Services Provided Within Two Weeks of New Beneficiary Household Visits
Last year, 667 households received in-depth consultations, and 55 households were supported through case management for self-reliance... Resolving Welfare Blind Spots
Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) announced that it will actively promote the ‘2025 Hidden Hope Finding Project’ to help newly registered basic livelihood security households achieve self-reliance.
‘Hidden Hope Finding’ is a specialized project unique to Songpa-gu that directly visits newly registered basic livelihood security households in urgent need of help due to lack of welfare service information and provides customized support. Last year, the district conducted in-depth consultations with a total of 677 households and systematically managed 55 crisis households, contributing to the resolution of welfare blind spots.
#A, a single young adult household, was in a mentally and physically difficult state due to a traffic accident causing rib fractures while working as a delivery rider, resulting in overdue utility bills and rent. Through Hidden Hope Finding case management, support was received from the Seoul Financial Welfare Counseling Center, Songpa Nanum Development Center, and E-Land Welfare Foundation, resolving arrears and overcoming the crisis with medical support for congenital heart disease treatment and depression therapy.
#B, a solitary elderly household estranged from family, faced severe hygiene issues such as mold on the ceiling and walls and cockroach infestation at the time of new beneficiary designation. Through in-depth consultation, special pest control and disposal of household items were carried out, wallpaper and flooring were replaced, and beds, bedding, and small appliances were provided. Currently, the household uses welfare center senior meal services and programs, forming a community support system and maintaining a stable life.
When newly designated as a basic livelihood security beneficiary in Songpa-gu, integrated case managers from the district office and welfare officers from the community service center visit the household within two weeks. Through detailed and specific questions, they confirm essential needs and provide and connect customized welfare services tailored to each household's situation through in-depth consultations.
Additionally, the district delivers promotional materials summarizing useful welfare benefits along with the ‘Songpa Love Pack’ containing daily necessities to new beneficiaries. This ensures thorough guidance for receiving benefits such as on-site submission of welfare discount applications, strengthening residents’ practical access to welfare.
The district plans to continue focusing on the Hidden Hope Finding project to proactively identify socially isolated and welfare crisis households, support rapid self-reliance of vulnerable groups, and minimize welfare blind spots.
Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, “The number of vulnerable groups struggling with social isolation and economic difficulties has increased recently. We will visit those in need directly to understand not only economic hardships but also mental distress, provide sufficient welfare information, and strengthen Songpa-gu’s welfare safety net thoroughly.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
