An automated civil document kiosk displaying administrative services in Chinese / Courtesy of Gangbuk District Office

Foreign residents of northern Seoul's Gangbuk District will now be able to access multilingual support features at automated civil document kiosks, as the district continues efforts to improve administrative services for its multicultural community.

According to the district office on Wednesday, the initiative is part of the district's efforts to accommodate and ensure service accessibility for its growing foreign population and diverse communities.

The service allows users to receive guidance in five languages — English, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai — when issuing civil documents. By selecting their preferred language on the kiosk's main screen, foreign residents who are not proficient in Korean can navigate the document issuance process more easily.

The district initially launched the service at two locations — the general situation room inside the district office and the unmanned civil document kiosk at Miasageori Station Seoul Metro Line 4. These locations were chosen based on high usage rates and accessibility. The district plans to gradually expand the service to other kiosks in the area after evaluating the pilot program's effectiveness.

By removing language barriers in the administrative processes, the district aims to improve overall convenience and enhance the inclusivity of its public services, ensuring that all residents can access essential civil documents without difficulty.

"We are working to ensure that no one — whether they are from multicultural families, older adult populations or individuals with disabilities — is excluded from administrative services," Gangbuk District Mayor Lee Soon-hee said.

"We will continue to enhance accessibility so that everyone can easily utilize public services."