KISA Revamps '118 Counseling' Service for Hacking and Personal Information Breach Consultations

Addition of Chat and Chatbot Consultation Services
Launch of the 118 Navigation Webpage

The Korea Internet & Security Agency announced on the 18th that it has revamped its services to establish a comprehensive digital safety net, marking the 16th anniversary of the 118 Counseling Center.

Korea Internet & Security Agency '118 Navigation' webpage.

The 118 Counseling Center provides free consultation services for cyber issues closely related to daily life, such as hacking, viruses, personal information breaches, and illegal spam. The center has also helped prevent public damage in recent large-scale personal information leakage incidents by offering tailored response guidance.

The core of this revamp includes the introduction of real-time chat and chatbot consultation services, as well as the launch of the '118 Navigation (118.kr)' webpage. By diversifying consultation methods, the goal is to improve accessibility for vulnerable groups who may have difficulty making phone calls, and to enhance user convenience by offering consultation, reporting, and service applications through a one-stop platform.

First, real-time chat and chatbot consultation services have been newly added to the existing phone-based consultation. These services are accessible via the 118 Navigation webpage on both PC and mobile devices. With the introduction of chat and chatbot consultations, users can now receive assistance even in environments where phone calls are difficult. In particular, accessibility is expected to improve for vulnerable groups such as the hearing impaired and foreigners who may find phone consultations challenging.

118 Navigation is an integrated webpage that brings together consultation, reporting, and service application channels that were previously scattered across various sites. On 118 Navigation, users can easily identify and utilize various consultation methods (phone, text ARS, chat, chatbot), reporting channels (personal information, illegal spam, security incidents, etc.), and related services (smishing verification service, finding leaked personal information, etc.) at a glance.

Lee Sangjoong, President of the Korea Internet & Security Agency, stated, "As cyber threats become more sophisticated with the advent of AI, the role of promptly resolving the public’s cyber concerns is becoming increasingly important. We will continue to enhance the 118 Counseling Center so that it remains the first place people turn to for cyber-related issues, providing easier and more convenient consultation services."