South Korea’s advanced AI improves subways and veterinary care with cutting-edge technology

South Korea is embracing AI, with innovative applications transforming everyday life from AI-powered translation services to X-ray analysis

Reading Time:4 minutes

A station employee converses simultaneously with a foreigner in their respective mother tongues through a transparent OLED screen at a subway station in Seoul, South Korea. Photo: EPA-EFE/Yonhap

Published: 3:30pm, 13 Oct 2024Updated: 9:03am, 14 Oct 2024

At Seoul’s bustling Hongik University Station, French tourist Nagete Amandedano and her sister approach the information desk to ask for directions in their native language. But rather than speaking to a station employee, they interact with an OLED screen.

On the other side, a Korean employee – who doesn’t speak French – speaks to the pair, and his message is instantly translated so that they can understand.

Installed late last year, this AI-powered translation service is part of a broader initiative to assist the influx of tourists in one of Seoul’s busiest neighbourhoods. Now available at 11 stations with 13 language options and a tailored FAQ section, it represents a leap in how technology can be used to enhance visitor experiences.

“We’re constantly amazed by how technology is integrated anywhere you go in this country,” Amandedano said. “Wi-fi is so fast everywhere, and people enter their homes through a touch screen password door. But this surely tops it.”

Nagete (left) and her sister get help with directions. Photo: David D. Lee

Such innovations align with South Korea’s ambition to position itself alongside the US and China as a top-tier AI nation.