A million South Koreans have foregone their bodily drivers license in favour of a blockchain-powered digital various used along side the PASS smart
A million South Koreans have foregone their bodily drivers license in favour of a blockchain-powered digital various used along side the PASS smartphone app.
This represents greater than 3% of your entire driving inhabitants in South Korea, which sat at 32.6 million licensed drivers in 2019 based on Statista. That is the primary licensed digital identification card for use all through South Korea and obtained approval by the nation’s Ministry of Science and ICT in September 2019.
The challenge was launched in Might by the Nationwide Police Company in partnership with the Korea Street Site visitors Authority, and the nation’s three main telecommunication suppliers: SK, KT and LG U+. By final month, 27 of South Korea’s driver’s license testing centres had been utilizing the PASS app to resume and reissue digital drivers licenses.
The legally recognised ID resolution will also be used for identification and proof-of-age necessities, similar to at comfort shops and retail chains promoting cigarettes and alcohol. Customers present their licence by way of a barcode or QR code on the app. Non-Korean residents receiving English variations of the licenses.
Different industries, together with rental automobile and shared rides providers, are additionally researching the flexibility to make use of these IDs as a alternative for face-to-face verification checks.
South Korea is professional blockchain
This week alone has seen South Korea announce a number of integrations of blockchain know-how. Seongnam’s cost program can be expanded by issuing new digital present certificates whereas beachgoers in Busan will have the ability to pay for providers with Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH).
One in every of South Korea’s largest banks KEB Hana Financial institution has partnered with the Korea Expressway Company to implement a blockchain-based toll system for the nation’s highways.
Australia’s blockchain-based licenses
South Korea isn’t the one nation to take a look at transitioning current licenses to digital codecs on blockchain. In late 2018, Australia’s NSW authorities introduced the trial of Ethereum-based digital licenses which might substitute bodily ones.