Selected for the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Smart Social Service Pilot Project
The Only Local Government Chosen... Expected to Provide Emotional Stability for the Elderly
Jeonnam Province announced on July 11 that it was the only local government in the country to be selected for the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Smart Social Service Pilot Project with its "AI Companion Dog-Based One-Stop Emotional Health Support Project."
The Smart Social Service Pilot Project is a public contest aimed at discovering new social services and spreading them throughout local communities by utilizing new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).
The core of Jeonnam Province’s AI Companion Dog-Based One-Stop Emotional Health Support Project is to distribute dog-shaped AI care robots to 100 isolated elderly households who have difficulty engaging in outdoor activities, in order to help them achieve emotional stability and alleviate social isolation.
The care robot engages in everyday conversation with the elderly, such as talking to them and asking about their mood, providing emotional interaction as a daily companion. It also serves as a smart care partner by reminding them of mealtimes and medication schedules.
In particular, in emergency situations, the robot is connected to emergency services (119), enabling crisis response within the golden hour. In addition, caregivers can check the health and emotional status of the elderly in real time through a dedicated app, further enhancing the continuity and safety of care.
The project will be carried out in the form of a consortium, with Jeonnam Province as the lead organization and the Jeonnam Social Service Institute as the implementing agency. Hyodol Co., Ltd., the care robot manufacturer, and the Mokpo Regional Office of the Korea Land and Housing Corporation, which is responsible for selecting and managing recipients, will participate as partner organizations to establish a field-oriented integrated care system.
The project is scheduled to begin full-scale distribution around August, targeting 100 isolated elderly individuals residing in the Sangdong Residential Happiness Support Center in Mokpo.
Jung Gwangseon, Director of Health and Welfare at Jeonnam Province, emphasized, "Being selected for this public contest will serve as an important opportunity for Jeonnam to leap forward as a leading region in digital welfare," and added, "We will continue to actively incorporate new technologies into welfare to expand practical services that all residents can truly experience."
In the first half of this year, Jeonnam Province achieved the highest number of selections nationwide, with nine cities and counties chosen for the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s "2025 Smart Welfare and Safety Service Improvement Model Development Support Project" contest. The province plans to continue taking steps to lead the nation in technology-based welfare services.
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