City for Digital Minority: Seoul to Improve Digital User Environment
July 11, 2022
SEOUL – The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated rapid digitalization. However, at this critical moment of digital transformation, some people are experiencing difficulties using new technologies. To tackle this issue, the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) held an event titled, Accompanying With the Vulnerable, to seek ways to share knowledge and experiences with numerous organizations and companies.
During the event, Seoul organized a group for digital capacity, planned a campaign to enhance the user environment for digital devices, and appointed digital guides who will tackle issues citizens often encounter in their daily lives.
Creation of Digital Empowerment Group
The city government created a digital empowerment group, a network of the public and private sectors. It organized the group to upgrade the digital environment for users. The group will introduce effective policies by collecting opinions from the digitally vulnerable people and build a cooperative system to help create a friendly environment for the digitally disadvantaged.
The digital empowerment group will be joined by △ Korea Franchise Association, △ The Korean Seoul Senior Citizens Association, △ Seoul Senior Welfare Center, △ Korea Differently Abled Federation, △ Seoul Association of Senior Welfare Center, △ Seoul Association of Community Senior Club, △ Seoul Association of Community Care for the Elderly, △ Shinhan Bank, △ CJ CGV, △ Lotte 7-eleven, △KBS Media, △ SKT, and △ Alux.
In particular, with Shinhan Bank and CJ CGV, the SMG will develop a special digital kiosk for digitally marginalized people. In addition, Shihan Bank and CJ CGV will work with the SMG to hold meetings with associations for senior citizens and the disabled to reflect actual users’ opinions.
Since last November, Shinhan Bank has been building a senior-friendly environment by rolling out an ATM for the elderly. Through the empowerment group, the bank will gather ideas from users and expand the system to other devices used in the organization, such as utility bill payment machines.
CJ CGV will also develop a ticketing kiosk for its digitally vulnerable customers, and it will be used for their multiplex cinema chain for pilot in the second half of this year. Seoul will hold movie reservation events as part of hands-on training of its digital education program.
Public Awareness Campaign
Also, the SMG will start “It’s Okay to Take Your Time,” a public awareness campaign on July 11 (Mon) until the end of the year. The campaign stresses the importance of being considerate of those who have difficulties using digital kiosks.
Companies joining the empowerment group, including Lotte 7-eleven and KBS media, will cooperate with Seoul for the campaign. Meanwhile, Shinhan Bank and CJ CGV will make a special zone by the end of this year. The zone aims to ease the digitally vulnerable class's burden when using digital devices.
Appointment of Digital Guides
Seoul also plans to appoint 100 digital guides to help people having trouble using digital devices. The guides will be deployed in areas popular among the elderly to assist them with using digital machines on site. Digital guides will refer to a data map showing major spots to find senior citizens. Then, they will patrol the area to provide information about how to use digital kiosks or even smartphones.
After the appointment ceremony, the guides will have a two-week training and start visiting public facilities frequented by the elderly, such as Dongmyo station, Jegi-Dong station, and Yeonsinnae station. While helping senior citizens, they will also promote SMG’s campaign, “It’s Okay to Take Your Time.”
At the same time, Seoul will reinforce existing digital literacy training programs so that those who took courses can have hands-on experiences through the “1-Day Neighborhood Exploration” program.
The “1-Day Neighborhood Exploration” program, which started in June, gained positive reactions from citizens by connecting the real life and digital education. For example, the program makes trainees use a map application to visit spots in Deoksugung palace or order fast food, using digital devices.
A trainee said, “I used to give up ordering coffee or food when I did not know how to use kiosks, but I learned a lot through this program. I feel truly grateful for it.”
According to Seoul, it will provide diverse hands-on education every month. For example, the city prepared a movie ticket reservation program for July. The program will be led by digital tutors and use EduBus. Anyone who wants to take classes can apply by visiting the website (www.디지털배움터.kr) or making a call (☎1800-0096).
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon joined the event and said, “I believe everyone in Seoul should have equal opportunities to engage in the digital world and benefit from its advantages without discrimination or isolation.” He added, “I will do my best to make Seoul a city that goes together with the digitally isolated.”
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