Kakao linked national pension services to its "AI civil assistant" being piloted with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, allowing users to handle everything from checking enrollment history to applying for voluntary enrollment through KakaoTalk chats.

Kakao said it linked an enrollment-history query function to the AI civil assistant from Sept. 17 and will add a voluntary enrollment application function from Sept. 30.

In a KakaoTalk chat window, users can check national pension enrollment history, confirm whether they can apply for voluntary enrollment, calculate expected premiums and submit an application for voluntary enrollment.

At stages requiring identity verification, it uses Kakao certificates. Just before applying, users are required to check the expected premium and related guidance and then give final consent.

For example, if a user types, "Tell me my national pension enrollment history," the user can check the enrollment period and payment history after identity verification. If the user asks, "Can I apply for voluntary enrollment?" it checks eligibility and provides the result.

It also provides a function to calculate premiums based on the desired monthly income amount. If a user asks, "How much is the premium based on 3 million won a month?" it provides an expected premium and, if the user wants to enroll, proceeds through entering the reference income month amount and final consent to complete the application.

Previously, users had to use the National Pension Service website and mobile application, customer service center and other channels to check enrollment history or apply to enroll. Kakao upgraded the AI civil assistant so public services requiring identity verification can be handled within a conversational interface.

Kakao expects service accessibility to improve for full-time homemakers and students who are eligible for voluntary enrollment. It plans to continue discussions with the National Pension Service to add related functions and expand so other public services can also be used in a single conversational flow.

A Kakao official said the national pension linkage was an example of enabling public services requiring identity verification to be handled within KakaoTalk chats. The official added it will expand linkages with various institutions and develop the service so needed administrative services can be used through everyday conversation.

Kakao also plans to use its AI civil assistant operating experience to build the Ministry of Science and ICT's "AI for All" service.