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 withou