Gyeonggi to debut AI-based living guide for expats

Multicultural Special Zone in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province (Ansan)

Home to the largest foreign resident population in Korea, Gyeonggi Province will launch the country’s first AI-based multilingual portal to help expats access essential living information, from visa procedures to job-related queries.

Set to begin service in May, the portal will use generative artificial intelligence to analyze user questions and provide tailored answers, making it easier for foreign residents unfamiliar with Korea’s administrative system and terminology to find necessary information, according to Gyeonggi Provincial Office on Wednesday.

The platform will include multilingual information tabs provided through automated translation functions, as well as community boards where foreign residents can share local tips and resources. The boards will be organized by nationality and region.

The launch comes as the number of foreign residents in Gyeonggi continues to grow, reinforcing the need for improved access to administrative and daily living information.

In 2024, about 845,000 foreign residents lived in Gyeonggi Province, accounting for 32.7 percent of Korea’s total foreign population. Seoul followed with about 450,000 and South Chungcheong Province with about 169,000.

In Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, foreign residents account for about 15 percent of the city’s population at roughly 110,000 people, most of whom work in the city’s large industrial complex.

Despite the growing population, language barriers have limited access to administrative and daily living information, including transportation, medical services and education, within expat communities.

Gyeonggi Province said the portal will serve as a starting point for broader support for foreign residents settling in Korea.

“The portal will serve as a platform for expatriates to access the province’s policies and support measures for foreign residents,” said a provincial official in charge of foreign resident affairs. “By reducing language barriers and improving access to information, we aim to ensure that our policies are felt in the daily lives of foreign residents.”