Voice Control Arrives for South Korea’s KakaoTalk AI Public Assistant

The South Korean Ministry of Interior and Safety (MOIS) announced on May 14, 2026, the launch of a new voice recognition feature for its AI-powered ‘National Secretary’ service, integrated within the popular messaging app KakaoTalk. This upgrade allows citizens to access a wide range of administrative tasks and public services using simple voice commands, eliminating the need for text input.

The initiative aims to significantly improve accessibility for digitally vulnerable groups, such as the elderly or those less familiar with mobile devices and text entry. By enabling voice interaction, the government seeks to remove barriers and ensure everyone can easily benefit from public services, moving closer to its vision of an “AI Democratic Government.”

Users can now simply open the ‘AI National Secretary’ chat within KakaoTalk and speak their requests, such as “issue me a resident registration copy” or “reserve a tennis court.” A resident registration copy (Jumin-deungnok-deungbon) is a fundamental official document in South Korea, often required for various administrative processes. The AI system, which currently offers over 100 types of electronic certificates and allows inquiries and bookings for 1,200 public facilities in collaboration with private platforms like Naver and Kakao, will interpret these natural language commands and execute the requested service immediately. For enhanced convenience, the ‘AI National Secretary’ can also be launched directly from the KakaoTalk “More” menu.

Recognizing the sensitive nature of personal data involved in administrative tasks, MOIS has prioritized robust security measures. The service incorporates Kakao’s advanced AI security technology, ‘Kanana Safeguard,’ to protect user information from potential hacking or data breaches, ensuring a secure environment for all users.

Minister Yoon Ho-jung of the Ministry of Interior and Safety stated, “We expect the introduction of voice functionality for Kakao’s ‘AI National Secretary’ to enable digitally vulnerable groups to enjoy administrative services more conveniently in their daily lives.” He added, “MOIS will continue to introduce AI-based administrative services that citizens can directly experience, thereby realizing an ‘AI Democratic Government’.”

Source: 행정안전부 보도자료 — Original Article (Korean)