For Seoul-based graduate Lee Su-bin, the transition to a new lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic was no big deal.
“At the university library, I would reserve my books online, which would then be sanitized in a book sterilizer before being delivered to a locker for pick up,” the 25-year-old said. “‘Untact’ has made many aspects of life so convenient.”
Introduced last year, “Untact” is a South Korean government policy that aims to spur economic growth by removing layers of human interaction from society. It gathered pace during the pandemic and is expanding rapidly across sectors from healthcare to business and entertainment.
Illustration: Mountain People
The push to create contactless services is designed to increase productivity and cut bureaucracy, but has also fueled concerns over the potential social consequences.
Keimyung University sociology professor Choi Jong-ryul said that while there are advantages to developing an untact society, it also threatens social solidarity and might end up isolating individuals.
“If more people lose the ‘feeling of contact’ due to lack of face-to-face interaction, society will encounter a fundamental crisis,” Choi said.
In everyday life, small changes brought about by “untact” are becoming increasingly noticeable.
Robots brew coffee and bring beverages to tables in cafes. A robotic arm batters fries and chicken to perfection. At Yongin Severance Hospital, Keemi — a 5G-powered disinfection robot — sprays hand sanitizer, checks body temperature, polices social distancing and even tells people off for not wearing masks.
Unmanned or hybrid shops are flourishing. Mobile carrier LG Uplus has opened several “untact” phone shops, where customers can compare models, sign contracts and receive the latest smartphones without ever having to deal with a real person.
Civil services, too, are getting “untact” facelifts. Seoul plans to build a metaverse — a virtual space where users can interact with digital representations of people and objects — where avatars of public officials will resolve complaints. Several local governments have launched artificial intelligence call bots to monitor the health of those self-isolating. For COVID-19 patients receiving home treatment, a government app also monitors health and gives video access to a doctor.
The world of K-pop has also stepped into the metaverse. Fans create avatars where they can “meet” their favorites, like Blackpink, in a virtual space and receive virtual autographs.
“Untact” in South Korea is more than a buzzword: it represents a potential economic engine for the nations.
“‘Untact’ companies have shown greater growth effects than face-to-face companies in attracting investment and creating jobs,” South Korean Minister of SMEs and Startups Kwon Chil-seung told the Guardian, adding that 12 out of 15 South Korean unicorns — private firms valued at US$1 billion or more — use non-face-to-face methods in their primary business.
“South Korea has a very strong [communications] infrastructure in the country and many industries based on that infrastructure,” he said, adding that “untact” is part of a growing global trend that has accelerated in light of the pandemic.
His ministry is so serious about the policy that it is pumping 9 trillion won (US$7.6 billion) into an “untact growth fund” to find and support 1,200 “untact” start-ups by 2025.
Many have welcomed the shift.
The Seoul Institute found that 80 percent of residents in the capital who had engaged in non-face-to-face activities said they would continue doing so after the pandemic subsided.
Choi said that “untact” provides some advantages — including allowing anonymity through electronic devices, freeing people from the pressures of formality and reducing emotional labor associated with the service industry.
The latter problem is particularly acute in South Korea, where customer service is highly valued, hierarchical structures persist and abusive behavior by those in positions of power, known as gapjil, is commonplace, but concerns over feelings of loneliness and social fragmentation remain.
The nation has announced plans to invest almost 30 billion to research a digital treatment platform for depression, a project started as a result of not having human contact due to the pandemic.
Loneliness among elderly people — an existing problem in South Korea only exacerbated by the pandemic — is also receiving the “untact” treatment.
SK Telecom’s AI Care service is among several being deployed across the nation that allows elderly people living alone to interact with an artificial intelligence speaker by asking it to play music, have a simple conversation, perform quizzes or even call for help in an emergency.
The system has reportedly reduced loneliness among users and even been credited with saving lives by the nation’s president.
“These technologies are not replacing humans. It’s about coexisting with humans,” SK Telecom spokesperson Irene Kim said.
Lee said that while she was comfortable using “untact” technologies such as unmanned shops, she had concern for others who might “have trouble using them.”
“I had to help a grandfather at an automatic kiosk the other day to order his meal,” she said.
Kwon acknowledges that challenges exist regarding those who might be left behind by the sudden digital transformation brought about by “untact,” and that his government needs to implement policies and regulations to “strike a balance.”
The long-term impact of “untact” on society remains unclear, but Choi believes an “untact” future is inevitable to increase economic efficiency.
“The key is understanding the social and ethical implications of an ‘untact’ society and finding ways to maintain social solidarity,” he said.
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