Blockchain Expected to Lead e-Governments as Infrastructure of Future

Blockchain is attracting attention as a technology that will lead next-generation e-governments. Blockchain promoters aim to boost efficiency and transparency by introducing blockchain technologies to electronic government solutions such as electronic voting, electronic contracts and the management of resident registration and electronic documents. Blockchain is a kind of distributed databases (DBs) which manage the authority to manage and record data by distributing the authority to multiple DBs without a central system.

On February 22, the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs held a debate on 'The New Future of the Government Created by Blockchain' at the International Conference Hall of the Seoul Government Office Building in Sejong-ro, Seoul. "Blockchains are a platform capable of realizing distributed DBs, encrypted currencies and smart contracts," said Park Sung-joon, head of the Blockchain Research Center at the Graduate School of International Information Security at Dongguk University in Seoul. "It is a second internet and infrastructure of the future."

Eo Joon-sun, president of Coinplug, explained that it will be possible to improve public service systems such as the establishment of a base for the common use of administrative information, the expansion of cooperation among institutions, the certification of public services, and the trade of public data by using blockchains.

In fact, according to a report released by IBM last year, 14 percent of the world's government agencies introduced blockchains. Currently, the United States is considering the introduction of a blockchain-based medical information sharing system, while using blockchains for electronic voting. The UK is pushing ahead with the use of blockchains and smart contracts throughout public services. Sweden has adopted the management of blockchain-based land register documents and smart contracts.

In Korea, the introduction of blockchains has been spreading centered on the financial sector since last year. Jung Yun-ki, director of the e-Government Department at the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs, said, "This forum is an opportunity to discuss the application of blockchain technology to the public sector. We expect that this event will lay the foundation for the development of Korea’s blockchain technology such as creating new markets by preemptively introducing blockchain technology to the public sector and securing sales channels for related companies.