AI 정보 안내 넘어 상담원 연결까지…경기 이주민포털 고도화 제안

The Gyeonggi-do Immigrant Portal, launched in July, has been evolving beyond its initial artificial intelligence (AI) information guidance to incorporate professional counseling and local support, according to a recent proposal. The portal, featuring 13 languages and an AI chatbot, aims to seamlessly transfer complex and crisis cases to counselors.

The Gyeonggi-do Immigrant Integration Support Center held its second network forum on the platform's significance and challenges at its conference room on the 3rd. Established in late May, the portal started regular operations on July 8th, offering services in Korean, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Uzbek. The platform provides basic living, administrative, employment, education, and medical welfare information, including a 24/7 AI chatbot for everyday questions and SOS counseling.

Centered on the challenges of fragmented information across institutions, regional disparities in support, delayed policy updates, and the need for an integrated flow from inquiry to assistance, the forum focused on how AI and counselors should collaborate. Kim Hyo-jeong from the Immigration Policy Research Institute suggested that AI handle basic guidance while counselors focus on complex cases involving legal status, labor rights, and family crises.

Director Woo Jin-seok emphasized linking AI assistance with counselor support into a unified user flow, noting that even minor errors in government services could jeopardize an individual's residency eligibility. Ahiroh Aroryon from the Korean Foreign Residents Honor Counselor pointed out issues with inaccurate translations, verification errors, and connectivity problems with certain devices for non-native speakers, stressing the importance of offering services in the provided languages from registration to final assistance.

Center Director Kang Sun-gil reported that 78.4-80.1% of the 106,618 consultations analyzed over the past three years were concluded through the portal, indicating its capability to address a wide range of information and counseling needs.