Seoul, South Korea – The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Defense have jointly introduced a digital mental health service for soldiers, commencing on Monday. This service is an enhancement of the “digital wellness” platform in development at Hanyang University and has been bolstered by the ICT ministry’s initiative, “Development of prevention and management platform technology for non-face-to-face emotional disorders in the post-COVID era.”
When utilizing this service, soldiers can maintain a daily diary chronicling their military life. It leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze users’ emotional states and identify the potential risk of suicide or self-harm.
Upon composing their diary entries, users can engage in conversations with AI chatbots through WellmindGPT, specifying the type, theme, and direction of the discussion. WellmindGPT is an AI specialized in mental health, developed with technological support from Microsoft. The AI has been trained using scenarios validated by mental health specialists and psychological therapy experts, including Professor Kwon Jun-soo from Seoul National University Hospital.
Moreover, the AI has the capability to assess levels of depression, anxiety, insomnia, stress, and recovery resilience, using digitized assessment scales like CESD-10-D (for depression), GAD-7 (for anxiety), and ISI-K (for sleep disorders).
In instances where users are categorized as belonging to a high-risk group based on the assessment, a pop-up guide directs them to contact the National Defense Help Call Center.
Soldiers will have access to this service through the Nara Sarang Portal, a dedicated mobile application for military personnel, or the Customized Welfare Service of the National Defense Welfare Portal until December of the following year. This initiative underscores the commitment to safeguarding the mental well-being of soldiers in the South Korean military.
