Seoul Metro to develop communication system for foreign passengers

Foreign users of major subway stations in Seoul can communicate with Seoul Metro Corp. staff through simultaneous translation. 

Through artificial intelligence (AI) that supports 13 languages, passengers who cannot speak Korean can ask station staff for traffic information in real time without a translation app.

The subway company on Monday said it will set up a foreign-language simultaneous conversation system to allow foreign passengers to communicate with station staff in the former’s native tongues. After undergoing trial operations at Myeongdong Station in November, the service will be expanded next year to the stations of Seoul, Itaewon, Gimpo International Airport, Gwanghwamun and Hongik University.

The system will support 13 languages including English, Japanese, Chinese and Spanish.  When a foreign user and a staff member talk face to face, an AI ​​terminal recognizes and translates what the former says. The translated text is sent to a transparent screen placed between them. 

The corporation will select the system's builder this month and complete technical development around October.

Write to Hae-Ryon Choi at haeryon@hankyung.com