From Disaster Alerts to Event and Welfare Updates by Text
Essential Information Delivered Straight to Your Phone
The county administration text alert service operated by Chilgok County in North Gyeongsang Province is establishing itself as a key channel for delivering information in residents' daily lives. Around 15,000 people now use the service to receive county news on disasters, events, and welfare via a single text message on their mobile phones.
Although county administration information is public, it is not easy to keep track of the necessary details in a timely manner. This is even more true for residents who are not familiar with internet searches or using social media. In rural villages, many elderly residents either missed out because they did not know how to apply, or learned about information too late and lost their chance to benefit. The county administration text alert service was launched to narrow this information gap.
The text messages include information on disaster and emergency situations, traffic control notices, schedules for major cultural performances and events, various recruitment announcements, and welfare support programs. A key feature is that only content directly connected to residents' daily lives is selected and delivered. Without having to visit notice boards at the county office or check the website, residents can receive the information they need directly on their mobile phones.
The impact is visible on the ground. On the day a text message was sent out about shingles vaccination, the county office received several phone calls inquiring about it. Callers asked about eligibility, schedules, and locations. Residents who had previously missed the vaccination period because they did not know about it started taking action thanks to a single text message.
This service is particularly useful for elderly residents who are not accustomed to using social media or the internet. Even if they use smartphones, they can check information through familiar text messages instead of complicated apps.
In rural villages, it has become natural to say, "You can learn everything about county administration just by reading the text messages."
The focus is on delivering only essential information at the right time, rather than sending frequent notifications. The intent is to prioritize sharing information that is genuinely helpful to residents' daily lives over promoting the county administration.
An official from Chilgok County said, "There are certainly residents who cannot be reached by social media or media promotion alone," adding, "The text service is the most direct way for the administration to reach out first to those residents." The official continued, "It is meaningful in that it delivers information that can be put to use immediately in everyday life."
Any resident who wishes to receive the texts can apply free of charge. Applications can be submitted online through the Chilgok County website or in person at the nearest eup or myeon administrative welfare center. The procedure is simple. Once you apply, you can use the service without any additional cost.
Chilgok County plans to continue using lifestyle-focused communication methods that residents can tangibly experience. The goal is to reduce the information gap by delivering administrative information faster and in a more accessible way. A single text message on a mobile phone is becoming the link that connects residents and the administration.
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