Seocho District Announces New AI Assistant and Welfare Care Foundation with Policy Changes for the New Year

Eight New Daycare Centers to Open
Circular Walking Trail Network Completed

Seocho District in Seoul has announced 47 policy changes for the new year. The district will inform residents of new, revised, or expanded initiatives through newsletters and other channels, allowing them to easily review the changes at a glance.

This year, Seocho District will introduce a total of 47 new or expanded policies, including 37 new projects and 10 expanded initiatives, across five areas: residents’ daily life, welfare support, childcare and education, environment, and urban infrastructure.

In the area of residents’ daily life, the district will launch an active artificial intelligence (AI) assistant called “Seocho AIgent.” Utilizing natural language-based conversation technology, it will help residents quickly find the information they need and make reservations in one seamless process. In addition, the “Sowon Cafe,” a riverside communication space, will open at Yeouicheon.

A pilot program will provide real-time location tracking services for shuttle vehicles used by seniors at daycare centers, helping to ease the concerns of caregivers. This service, previously available for Seocho’s “Hyo-do” and “Culture Buses,” will be expanded to include AI Special Zone Buses and the Seocho Sports Complex shuttle bus. Digital booths at Yangjae Library, Women and Family Plaza Jamwon Center, Banpo Library, and Bangbae Open Culture Center will also be upgraded into “AI ZONEs” equipped with generative AI capabilities.

In the area of welfare support, the Seocho Welfare Care Foundation will open, and integrated medical and nursing care services will be launched for seniors aged 65 and older, as well as for people with disabilities under 65. The Umyeon Open Culture Center, a multi-purpose cultural facility for all generations, will open, while the Jamwon Neutinamu Rest Area and Seocho Senior Lounge will be created to offer a variety of cultural and leisure programs for seniors.

New allowances will be introduced for cooks at public daycare centers and childcare assistants at private and home daycare centers, improving working conditions in the childcare sector. Additionally, Seocho will offer a premium postpartum health checkup program for mothers within one year of childbirth.

In the area of childcare and education, eight new daycare centers-including Wonpeurella Bada, Haedeun Daycare Center, and Otiere Banpo Daycare Center-will open. The Seripul Nori School Bangbae 2nd Branch, a play space for infants and toddlers, and Cheongdam High School in Jamwon-dong will also open, further strengthening the district’s educational infrastructure. The number of monthly support sessions for the Seocho 119 Childcare Helper program will increase from six to eight, and the eligibility for the child allowance will be expanded from children under eight years old to those under nine.

In the area of environment, Maljukgeori Neighborhood Park Districts 1, 2, and 3 will open in phases. The Gilmajung Green Forest Trail, connecting Seocho IC to the Han River, and a new auxiliary road walking path along the Gyeongbu Expressway will be completed, creating a circular walking trail network. The district will also expand the urban ecological network by creating various green spaces and riverside rest areas, and will offer professional gardening training for residents interested in gardening activities.

In the area of urban infrastructure, the Seocho 3-dong Open Culture Center, which includes a community center, residents’ association hall, and lifelong education center, will open. A multi-purpose community space combining play and relaxation will be created under the Yeongdong 1 Bridge at Yangjaecheon. The Sinjung Children’s Park will feature an intergenerational public space for all ages, while the Seocho IC underpass will become an “Urban Canvas” featuring lighting and art installations, establishing a new urban landmark.

Seocho District Mayor Jeon Seong-su stated, “This year will mark a new starting point for building a brighter Seocho together with our residents,” adding, “We will provide practical, resident-centered public services to create a warm and happy future for Seocho.”