STUDENTS FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO HELP ELDERLY

[Anchor Lead]

Retired elderly people in Korea struggle to make ends meet as they find it hard to find work to earn money. To address this problem, college students are coming up with bright ideas to help senior citizens find jobs. Here is more.

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An order for a flower delivery comes in.

[Soundbite] "It's going from Seocho-dong to Gwangmyeong. O.K."

He quickly accepts the order. This is a smartphone delivery app that assigns orders to elderly couriers who then use subways to do the job. This home-delivery service using the subway is one of the most popular jobs among elderly job seekers. The couriers are automatically assigned orders coming in from areas nearest to them. This system has shortened delivery time and both couriers and customers are satisfied with it.

[Soundbite] "The flowers have arrived. (Thank you.) Yes, have a good day."

Since this app was introduced, brokerage commissions have dropped from some 30 percent to eight percent. This service was invented by college students in Seoul.

[Soundbite] KIM BYUNG-SEONG(SEOUL NAT'L UNIV. STUDENT) : "If our knowledge and information are combined with technology, it will create great synergy that contributes to society."

In addition to earning money, elderly people have regained self-esteem through these jobs.

[Soundbite] KIM YOUNG-HO(ASSUMED NAME) (COURIER) : "It's hard for old people to find jobs. Having a job means I have somewhere to go and that in itself is a good thing."

An advertisement for a yoga studio is attached on a handcart an elderly person uses to collect waste paper. Thanks to the students' idea, she now can earn an extra 70 thousand won each month. She also feels proud of carrying advertisements.

[Soundbite] JEONG GWANG-SOON(WASTE PAPER COLLECTOR) : "I feel proud and happy. People asked me where and how I receive the ads."

The students also developed a handcart that's half the weight of existing ones.

[Soundbite] SONG HYUNG-WOO(SEOUL NAT'L UNIV. STUDENT) : "Existing handcarts weigh between 70 and 80 kilograms just on their own. The weight has now dropped to some 30 kilograms."

Gaining popularity among advertisers and elderly people, the number of ad-carrying handcarts has increased to nearly 330.

[Soundbite] JEONG GWANG-SOON(WASTE PAPER COLLECTOR) : "I am in my 60s now. I want to work as long as possible."