Will South Korea Launch Their Own Cryptocurrency Soon?

South Korea, in an effort to convert their capital Seoul into a blockchain smart city, is planning to launch its own digital currency by the November of this year. As per reports published by an Australian finance-focused media outlet Finder on 7th Aug, the South Korean capital is trying to release a native city-wide digital currency dubbed S-coin, the aim of which will be to encourage citizens to participate in governance, facilitate cooperation between citizens and collect information.

People will receive S-coins when using public services or fulfil their citizenship obligations such as paying taxes and participating in public surveys. S-coin is set to be programmed by the government, enabling authorities to decide in exact detail when it can and can not be spent, as well as in what quantities and frequencies.

One of the S-coin use cases enables parents to give it to their children as rewards while programming the coin to be redeemable for specific treats at certain stores and to be spent exclusively by children. The government purportedly expects that S-coin will serve as an instrument of influence on people’s behaviour and developing a smart city.

Recently, South Korea’s second-most-populous city after Seoul, Busan, decided to launch a local cryptocurrency. By issuing a local digital currency, the city expects to revive the local economy, as well as to secure a leading position in blockchain development.

In late July, South Korea’s President Moon Jae-In stated that regulatory innovation regarding blockchain technology is now a question of survival. Moon said:

“While regulatory innovation in the era of industrialization was a matter of choice, it is now a question of survival as we are experiencing the fourth industrial revolution, characterized by fusions across industries and fields.”

Moon added that creating real use cases for blockchain to protect personal data contributes to a more significant international presence for South Korea, while blockchain applications in finance will significantly help to the revitalisation of the country’s economy.

Rishma Banerjee

Rishma is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and has a special place in her life for sifting through all sorts of random trivia, thank you very much.