South Koreans can now receive over 1,000 types of national professional certifications and training credentials in the form of blockchain-based “digital badges.” (Image courtesy of the Human Resources Development Service of Korea)
SEOUL, Apr. 9 (Korea Bizwire) – South Koreans can now receive over 1,000 types of national professional certifications and training credentials in the form of blockchain-based “digital badges,” the Human Resources Development Service of Korea announced on April 8.
Through the newly revamped mobile Q-Net electronic wallet service, anyone can obtain, store and submit these certifications as digital badges whenever needed for employment or other purposes.
A digital badge is a unique image file that encapsulates an individual’s competencies, learning records or achievements using digital certification technology.
Leveraging decentralized identifiers (DID) built on blockchain, the badges prevent tampering or forgery of the embedded information. Data is also encrypted using non-fungible token (NFT) technology to protect personal details.
The agency says the shift from paper documents and electronic copies to digitally-centered credentialing should result in savings of an estimated 50 billion won annually. This includes over 2.5 million instances of issuing certification verification records each year.
Previously, processing these physical or electronic certification documents incurred significant costs related to printing, delivery and verification procedures.
In addition to reducing financial and environmental impacts, blockchain-based digital badges provide greater convenience and trust in credential management.
The Q-Net wallet allows individuals to consolidate all their national certifications, vocational training records and other validated achievements in a single digital repository.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
