KT Corp expands AI features on small-business platform 'Sajangiji'

KT Corp is adding AI-powered hiring and marketing features to Sajangiji, its integrated platform for small-business owners, aiming to reduce the administrative burden on operators who must handle everything from recruitment to store promotion on their own.

KT Corp said Friday it launched an "AI Interview" service on Sajangiji on Thursday and will release a small-business marketing AI tool called Soma AI by late November.

The AI Interview service supports the hiring process by generating interview questions and analyzing applicants' responses. Business owners can send candidates an online interview link via KakaoTalk, after which applicants answer AI-generated questions and submit a self-introduction video.

The AI then analyzes each applicant's responses and summarizes the key points, allowing business owners to review self-introductions and answers without having to separately schedule interview times. The AI also generates the interview questions themselves, helping small-business owners with little hiring experience prepare for the process.

Soma AI, which supports marketing tasks, is also set to launch by late November. The service analyzes store data and surrounding commercial district information to suggest marketing activities, and supports promotional content creation, execution and performance analysis.

Ahead of the official launch, KT Corp is accepting applications for a Soma AI trial group from Friday through Oct. 20. Selected business owners will have access to features including marketing recommendations, content creation and performance analysis for three weeks starting Oct. 26. Feedback gathered during the trial will be reflected in the final service.

KT Corp plans to develop Soma AI into an "AI marketing manager" designed to help small-business owners boost sales.

The company is also expanding product purchase benefits for store operations. On Thursday, KT Corp opened a dedicated small-business section within the shopping lounge of its KT Membership app, offering frequently used store supplies such as consumables and food ingredients.

Sajangiji users will receive a 5,000-won discount coupon redeemable in the small-business section.

By adding AI Interview, Soma AI and other features, KT Corp said it intends to expand Sajangiji beyond its existing store management and business information functions into a full AI transformation platform for small businesses, covering hiring, marketing and other day-to-day operations.

Son Jeong-yeop, executive vice president of KT Corp's Device Business Division under the Customer unit, said small-business owners must handle a wide range of tasks on their own — not only running their stores and serving customers, but also hiring staff and managing marketing. "We will continue to expand AI services so that Sajangiji can become a management partner that lightens the load for small-business owners," he said.

Meanwhile, Sajangiji received the grand prize in the small-business store management solution category at the 2026 National Service Awards last June. At the time of the award, the platform had signed up 100,000 subscribers within one year of its launch and offered features including sales analysis, attendance management, startup information, AI-based promotional image creation, store-tailored music recommendations and business coaching.