Seoul expands phone access to taxi service for digitally vulnerable residents

Seoul has expanded access to its 120 Companion Call Taxi service by letting callers reach the dedicated taxi center directly through 02-120 and pressing 6. The change aims to make taxi requests easier for digitally vulnerable residents and visitors who do not use smartphone apps. Since the automated route was introduced on Aug. 13, the foundation said 4,423 calls were connected directly through Aug. 31. The foundation said it will use recurring questions and complaints to update guidance and improve the service with Seoul.

Before the change, callers had to go through a counselor before being transferred to the taxi center.

From Aug. 7-12, the dedicated center received 750 calls, averaging 125 per day.

From Aug. 13-31, 4,423 calls were connected directly through the automated system.

The 120 Companion Call Taxi service was introduced by Seoul in July 2025.

The service lets users request a nearby taxi by phone without downloading an app or registering as a member.

Published Sep 11, 2026 2:21 pm KST

Taxis display red vacancy lights as they search for passengers on a street near Hapjeong Station in western Seoul / Yonhap

In one of the world's most hyper-digitized capitals, Seoul is turning back the clock — letting residents and visitors hail a taxi with a simple phone call instead of a smartphone app.

The 120 Dasan Call Foundation has added a dedicated automated route, allowing callers to reach the 120 Companion Call Taxi center directly by dialing 02-120 and pressing 6 when prompted.

Since Aug. 13, when the new automated response system was introduced, 4,423 calls were connected directly to the dedicated center through Aug. 31, the foundation said.

Before the change, callers had to go through a counselor before being transferred, a process the foundation said was streamlined to make the service easier to access.

During the six days before the new system was introduced, from Aug. 7-12, the dedicated center received 750 calls, or an average of 125 per day.

In the six days after the change, 948 calls were connected, lifting the daily average to about 160, according to the foundation.

The 120 Companion Call Taxi service, introduced by Seoul in July 2025, allows users to request a nearby taxi by phone without downloading an app or registering as a member.

Initial user inquiries have centered on how to hail a cab, as well as details regarding eligibility, fares, operating hours, and service coverage.

Some calls have involved practical trips, including taking elderly parents home after surgery, transporting family members to nursing facilities and helping people living alone get to hospitals.

The foundation plans to use those recurring questions and complaints, including reports of delayed dispatches, to update its guidance materials and share findings with Seoul to improve the service.

“Not being familiar with taxi apps should never be a barrier to getting a ride,” said Song Joo-beom, CEO of the 120 Dasan Call Foundation. “We will ensure that anyone can easily and conveniently use the 120 Call Taxi with just a single, familiar phone call to 120, while carefully listening to feedback from our call center representatives to make a tangible impact for the digitally vulnerable.”

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

首尔市扩大了其“120陪伴叫车服务”的覆盖范围，用户现在可以直接拨打02-120并按6接通出租车专用中心。此举旨在方便那些不使用智能手机应用程序、网络不便的居民和游客叫车。自8月13日开通自动叫车服务以来，截至8月31日，已有4423个电话直接接通。该基金会表示，将根据用户反复提出的问题和投诉，与首尔市政府共同更新服务指南，改进服务。

改革前，来电者必须先通过客服人员才能转接到出租车中心。

从 8 月 7 日至 12 日，该专门中心接到了 750 个电话，平均每天 125 个。

8 月 13 日至 31 日，通过自动系统直接接通了 4423 个电话。

首尔于 2025 年 7 月推出了 120 伴游出租车服务。

该服务允许用户通过电话叫出租车，而无需下载应用程序或注册成为会员。

发布于2026年9月11日下午2:21（韩国标准时间）

在首尔西部合井站附近的一条街道上，出租车亮着红色空位灯寻找乘客。/ 韩联社

在世界上数字化程度最高的首都之一首尔，人们正在开历史倒车——居民和游客只需打个电话就能叫到出租车，而不是使用智能手机应用程序。

120 大山呼叫基金会新增了一条专用自动线路，呼叫者可以通过拨打 02-120 并根据提示按 6 直接联系 120 陪伴呼叫出租车中心。

该基金会表示，自 8 月 13 日引入新的自动应答系统以来，截至 8 月 31 日，已有 4423 个电话直接连接到专用中心。

在改革之前，来电者必须先通过咨询师才能被转接，该基金会表示，简化流程是为了使服务更容易获得。

在新系统推出前的六天（8 月 7 日至 12 日），专门中心接到了 750 个电话，平均每天 125 个。

据该基金会称，在变更后的六天里，接通了 948 个电话，使日均接通电话数提高到约 160 个。

首尔于 2025 年 7 月推出的 120 随叫随到出租车服务，允许用户通过电话叫出租车，而无需下载应用程序或注册成为会员。

用户最初的咨询主要集中在如何叫出租车，以及有关资格、车费、运营时间和覆盖范围等详细信息。

有些求助电话涉及实际出行，例如术后送年迈的父母回家、将家人送往疗养院以及帮助独居人士前往医院。

该基金会计划利用这些反复出现的问题和投诉（包括延迟发货的报告）来更新其指导材料，并与首尔分享调查结果，以改进服务。

“不熟悉打车软件绝不应该成为乘车的障碍，”120大山呼叫基金会首席执行官宋柱范表示，“我们将确保任何人都能轻松便捷地使用120呼叫出租车服务，只需拨打一个熟悉的120电话即可。同时，我们将认真听取呼叫中心代表的反馈，为那些在数字时代面临困境的人们带来切实的影响。”

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。