Gyeonggi Province launches AI-powered immigrant portal to break down language barriers

Gyeonggi Province launches generative AI portal to help immigrants - The Korea Times

The Gyeonggi Portal for Foreign Residents, a generative AI-powered platform offering multilingual information and services for immigrants / Courtesy of Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi Province, the populous region enveloping Seoul, will officially launch an integrated digital platform Wednesday designed to consolidate essential administrative and livelihood data for foreign residents using generative artificial intelligence (AI). The initiative, named the "Gyeonggi Foreign Resident Portal," represents a major step forward in the regional government's effort to dismantle chronic language and structural barriers that have long complicated resettlement for Korea's growing immigrant population. Developed by the province's Immigration and Social Policy Division, the portal serves as a centralized hub for critical sectors, including employment, public administration, healthcare, education and social welfare. Previously, such data was fragmented across various municipal and ministerial websites, presenting a steep hurdle for non-native speakers. To bridge this gap, the platform integrates a generative AI-powered chatbot and robust multilingual machine translation capabilities. The underlying AI model has been trained on government datasets, specifically prioritizing high-frequency inquiries regarding legal residency status, labor regulations and emergency services to deliver accurate, real-time responses. Beyond institutional support, the portal features a location-based community forum, allowing users to exchange local insights ranging from hospital reviews and school admissions to community cultural events. The official rollout follows a rigorous two-month pilot program and system optimization phase, launched in late May for public officials and local immigrant advocacy groups. Built with a responsive web design, the portal automatically recalibrates for mobile devices and tablets, optimizing digital accessibility. Regional authorities view the platform as a blueprint for civic inclusion. Korea has steadily adjusted its immigration policies to offset severe demographic shortages driven by a record-low birth rate, turning provinces like Gyeonggi into dynamic, multicultural hubs. "The Gyeonggi Immigrant Portal is a vital integration tool engineered to ensure that information scarcity does not impede social mobility," said Yoon Hyun-ok, head of the Gyeonggi Immigration and Social Policy Division. "Moving forward, we will continuously refine the service based on community feedback to ensure it remains a cornerstone of stable resettlement and broader social cohesion." This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

Gyeonggi Province launches one-stop portal for immigrants, consolidating scattered resources

Mockups of the migrant information portal to be released by Gyeonggi Province. (courtesy Gyeonggi provincial government) Gyeonggi Province will officially launch its new Gyeonggi Migrant Portal on Wednesday, providing migrants with a centralized platform for essential information and support services. The portal brings together information that had previously been scattered across multiple government agencies and websites, including resources on immigration, employment, education, healthcare and social welfare. It also features multilingual translation and an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, allowing users who are not proficient in Korean to more easily access the information they need. The launch follows Gyeonggi Province's announcement earlier this year of plans to build the platform. After a period of pilot testing and system reviews, the service is now being officially rolled out. According to the provincial government, the portal includes answers to frequently asked questions on topics such as visa status, labor issues, and everyday life in South Korea. A generative AI chatbot enables users to ask questions and receive relevant information. Automatic translation has also been integrated, allowing content to be viewed in multiple languages. The platform also includes community features that allow users to exchange local information. Migrants can share experiences such as recommendations for hospitals, educational resources, and news about community events through regional discussion boards. A location-based service provides information tailored to users' surrounding neighborhoods. Gyeonggi Province completed development of the portal in late May and has since conducted a pilot program involving provincial staff and migrant communities. The website is designed to work across desktop computers, smartphones and tablets, with menus and layouts that automatically adapt to different devices. "The platform was created to help migrants who face language and information barriers quickly and easily find the services they need," said Yoon Hyeon-ok, the head of Gyeonggi Province's migrant social policy division. "We will continue improving the platform by incorporating feedback from users so it can better support migrants as they settle into their communities." By Song Sang-ho, staff reporter