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Daum Kakao-Seoul offer real-time natural disaster updates

January 30, 2015

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, right, smiles with Daum Kakao CEO Lee Sirgoo after the KakaoTalk operator agreed with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Friday, to offer citizens real-time information on natural disasters via the messaging application. (Courtesy of Daum Kakao)

By Kim Yoo-chul

Daum Kakao, the nation’s largest messenger app operator, said Friday it has agreed with the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) to provide citizens with real-time information on natural disasters via its popular KakaoTalk platform.

“When a natural disaster strikes in Seoul, all KakaoTalk users can get the latest updates for situations to help determine how to better respond thanks to the agreement,” Daum Kakao said in a statement.

The agreement is calling for KakaoTalk to open up a new resource page with emergency information.

It will also host a customized page with authoritative and crowd-sourced geographic information.

Users should first add the Seoul city government to their list of “chat friends” in order to use the service.

“Increasing Seoul citizens’ understanding of their exposure to natural perils is vital to improving the resilience of our community. We hope this platform improves the safety of Seoul citizens in any emergency cases,” Lee Sirgoo, chief executive at Daum Kakao said in the statement.

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said the local government will actively collaborate with private companies such as Daum Kakao to build solid networks to minimize the impacts of natural disasters on Seoul citizens.

“Natural disasters are infrequent and difficult to predict. When they do occur their effects are devastating and it is unreasonable to expect Seoul citizens to be able to protect themselves against these risks without critical information that helps them safeguard life and property. We need to work together to make them safer,” Park was quoted as saying in the release.