The district introduces a smart business card service and an abusive-call prevention system through an upgraded administrative phone platform, aiming to improve resident access while protecting civil servants from harassment.
Seoul's Seocho-gu is rolling out an upgraded administrative phone system that applies digital technology to improve convenience for residents filing complaints while shielding civil servants from abusive callers.
The overhaul introduces two new features: a "smart business card" service designed to make communication between residents and civil servants easier, and an automatic call-termination system that cuts off abusive or excessively long calls to protect staff.
The smart business card service links to the district's internal administrative phone app and draws on organizational chart data to generate a digital card in real time, displaying each employee's department, title and contact information. Cards are available in both Korean and English, making the service accessible to foreign residents as well.
Staff can share their smart business card with a resident by presenting a QR code or sending a text message with a link. Recipients can save the card image and call the relevant officer directly through the link, eliminating the need to search for or manually enter a phone number.
The system also strengthens employee privacy. Each staff member can choose whether to display their personal mobile number, depending on the nature of their work. When an employee is reassigned or goes on leave, the existing card link automatically shows an "expired" notice, preventing confusion caused by outdated contact details.
Alongside this, the district on Monday began rolling out an abusive-call prevention system across all departmental phone lines. If a caller uses profanity, sexual harassment or other abusive language during a consultation, the system first plays a recorded warning that the call may be ended; if the abuse continues, the call is terminated automatically.
The district has also put in place a response mechanism for excessively long calls. To ensure efficient handling of inquiries and reduce waiting times for other residents, calls lasting more than 15 minutes are automatically ended after a prior warning. The measure aims to prevent unnecessary conflict and allow staff to focus on their work in a safer environment.
The district expects the upgraded phone system to serve as a practical solution — delivering more convenient administrative services to residents while creating a safer working environment for employees.
"The quality of administrative service improves when employees can focus on their work in a safe environment," district mayor Jeon Seong-su said. "Building on that foundation of staff protection, we will respond to residents' needs accurately and on time, and create a trusted administrative environment where both employees and residents can feel satisfied."
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