TLDR: AI startup 42Maru has partnered with Hanpass, a global remittance and financial platform, to develop advanced AI-driven life information services for foreigners. The collaboration aims to integrate 42Maru’s generative AI and language models with Hanpass’s extensive foreign customer base to improve customer service centers and establish a comprehensive life portal, offering automated responses, customized guidance, and integrated financial and non-financial support.
Seoul, South Korea – July 11, 2025 – In a significant move to enhance support for the growing foreign population in South Korea, generative AI startup 42Maru announced today a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hanpass, a leading global remittance and financial services provider. This partnership is set to revolutionize the provision of life information services tailored specifically for foreigners residing in the country.
The core objective of this collaboration is to synergize 42Maru’s cutting-edge language model and generative AI technologies with Hanpass’s robust foreign customer base and established financial platform operation capabilities. The combined effort aims to significantly upgrade AI-based customer service centers and develop a holistic life portal service designed to meet the diverse needs of international residents.
The joint business model will primarily focus on three key areas: automated response systems for foreigners, personalized life information guidance, and integrated financial and non-financial support services. 42Maru plans to embed its advanced AI technology across the Hanpass platform, enabling features such as automated customer responses, efficient FAQ generation, comprehensive foreign language support, and interactive guidance informed by user history. This sophisticated customer center system is expected to simultaneously boost internal operational efficiency for Hanpass and markedly improve the user experience for its global clientele.
42Maru, known for its generative AI innovations, has developed and deployed LLM42, a lightweight language model specifically designed for professional industries. This model is engineered to mitigate the ‘hallucination’ phenomenon often associated with large language models, utilizing RAG42 (search-augmented generation technology) and MRC42 (artificial intelligence reading comprehension technology). Furthermore, 42Maru offers a private mode for businesses, ensuring secure use of large-scale AI without concerns over data leaks, while also significantly reducing the costs associated with solution building, learning, and serving.
Kim Dong-hwan, CEO of 42Maru, underscored the importance of this partnership, stating, “The number of foreign workers, international students, and tourists staying in Korea continues to increase, and interest in K-culture is also very high. Based on LLM42, we will work with Hanpass to enhance the user experience of global customers through life-oriented K-AI services.”
Beyond enhancing customer service, both companies are committed to jointly planning and operating a dedicated foreigner life portal as a new business venture. This expansion of cooperation will encompass product development, marketing initiatives, and comprehensive technical and operational support. Hanpass, with its extensive network, currently facilitates remittances to over 200 countries, boasts more than 8 million cumulative remittance transactions, and has processed over 7 trillion KRW in cumulative remittance amounts. The company also operates dedicated global customer service centers in over 17 countries, offering multilingual support in 16+ languages, demonstrating its deep understanding and commitment to its international user base.
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This strategic alliance between 42Maru and Hanpass is poised to create a more accessible and supportive environment for foreigners in Korea, leveraging cutting-edge AI to streamline essential services and provide comprehensive life information.
