A South Korean government official proposed to implement blockchain technology for electoral processes. This technology would allow ensuring security and transparency in the democratic system.
In recent days, South Korean government official Cho Eun-hee proposed to use a blockchain platform for the electoral processes in the whole country. That Asian nation is one of the most advanced in the handling of blockchain technology, Artificial Intelligence, and other advanced technologies.
The official also stated that democracy would receive an unprecedented boost through this technological implementation. Likewise, he praised Seoul’s advances in technology.
The local medium UpDown Korea, as well as other dozens of news portals, spread the information on this initiative. At the same time, the politician requested the authorities of other areas of the country to join the process to improve their democratic system.
Improvement of Democracy through Blockchain Technology
Blockchain technology can provide a solution to the deficiencies of democratic systems. The aforementioned South Korean official proposed a solution to the structural flaws that his country’s political system has.
He explained that they must apply blockchain technology right now so that citizens can easily express their opinions. He said that, given the potential of South Korea, this “is the right time” to start to work on this implementation.
An important factor is that the official works in one of the richest regions in Seoul. It is the Seocho sector, where people have greater possibilities of accessing new technological advances.
A New Era for a New Technology
The South Korean official that proposed this initiative highlighted another important aspect. He said that blockchain technology represents much more than people believe.
Citing theories of leading economists like Klaus Schwab, Eun-hee states that all this is the “Fourth Industrial Revolution.” If South Korea completes the project, the country would become a spearhead alongside China in the usability of blockchain technology for social and political purposes.
Seocho would become the first area in the country to allow citizens to make collective decisions on political issues. Of course, all this would be possible with the help of blockchain technology.
Evolution of the Political System
The official also stated that democracy is a system in constant evolution, so applying blockchain technology means taking a new step forward.
“In the future, we plan to develop a direct democracy that everyone can trust. It would have the confidence of citizens thanks to the introduction of blockchain technology. This would ensure security and transparency,” he specified.
He explained that there, several companies have already assumed this challenge. In that sense, he mentioned the creation of an academy that combines the use of blockchain technology with public administration.
Likewise, he explained that the work that his district develops could become a scale base to apply throughout the country. The South Korean official initially proposed the use of blockchain technology for electoral matters, but it could eventually go further.
Cho Eun-hee’s proposal is only one of the many possibilities of the use of distributed ledger technology. For example, sectors such as insurance, digital identity, cybersecurity, and healthcare have adopted it to improve their operations.
By Willmen Blanco
