The metropolitan government of Seoul, South Korea’s capital, chose Samsung’s SDS to develop a roadmap to apply the technology to blockchain the entire city administration to improve citizens’ convenience and administrative transparency.
Samsung SDS, the Korean electronics giant Samsung subsidiary, has won an order from the Seoul metropolitan government to set up an information plan (ISP) for Seoul City Building Innovation Building Solution, the company said. The initiative is essential for the city government’s intention to apply blockchain technology throughout the municipal administration by 2022.
The city government has already identified some sectors for blockchain applications, including welfare, safety, traffic and other municipal affairs. Initial claims will see the fundamental feature of the blockchain, as a secure and immutable registry, used to record citizens’ personal information, pay indemnities for unemployed young people, and sell off used car dealerships. To extend the significantly public convenience and administrative transparency with blockchain technology that feeds the entire municipal administration of the city for four years.
Under the terms of the contract, Samsung SDS is now tasked with assessing the environment and drafting a roadmap for both “the introduction and spread of blockchain technology across the city’s municipal government” over the next five months. Samsung’s software unit will design and propose future models, along with plans to systematically implement them across the city’s governance and the public sector.
In statements by Samsung SDS CEO Hong Won-Pyo said:
“Samsung SDS intends to contribute to transforming the city into a world-class city by enhancing transparency, fairness and familiar comfort through its blockchain technology and consulting capability.”
The Seoul project marks the company’s first foray into the introduction of public sector blockchain technology, becoming Korea’s first domestic company to do so.
The Samsung software key unveiled the Nexledger blockboard in a commercial launch earlier this year.
In May, the company began a notable pilot project for the shipping and logistics industry in Korea to track imports, exports and monitoring real-time freight transport on a blockchain. The pilot proved to be successful in his first attempt to conduct a Korean-China expedition and its entire logistics process, facilitated by a blockchain.
Seoul’s global initiative is a notable endorsement of the blockchain, the technology behind cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, and draws a parallel with a similar effort from Dubai, the latter taking its path to becoming the “first city of blockchain” in the world by 2020.