Approval of 3 ICT Regulatory Sandbox Projects
Simultaneous Charging of 30,000 Products with Dozens of Chargers
The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sandbox Support Center and the Ministry of Science and ICT on the 30th approved three ICT regulatory sandbox projects received at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, including a long-distance multi wireless charging stand (left), a food truck shared kitchen (right), and non-face-to-face mobile communication subscription.
[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and the Ministry of Science and ICT have joined hands for the first time to implement an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) regulatory sandbox.
The KCCI Sandbox Support Center and the Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 30th at the KCCI that they have approved three ICT regulatory sandbox projects received from applicants, including a long-distance multi-device wireless charging stand, a food truck shared kitchen, and non-face-to-face mobile communication subscription.
The first sandbox project, Warp Solution’s “long-distance multi-device wireless charging technology,” will enter practical testing. This technology uses electromagnetic waves in the radio frequency (RF) band to simultaneously charge multiple IT devices from a distance. Existing wireless charging methods require contact with the charger and can only charge one electronic device at a time, but the RF method can simultaneously charge up to 30,000 Internet of Things (IoT) devices with dozens of wireless chargers.
The KCCI explained, “Once wireless charging technology is commercialized, it can expand into various fields such as IoT sensors in smart factories, electric vehicle batteries, and artificial organ batteries,” adding, “It is a new technology that opens a wire-free future by eliminating all wires and cords from IoT devices.”
The review committee granted a demonstration exemption considering the competitiveness of the wireless charging technology and its ripple effects on related industries. Until now, under domestic radio law, the 900 MHz band had not been allocated for wireless charging, making it impossible to demonstrate wireless charging technology.
Warp Solution plans to start the demonstration with a stand-type wireless charger. It will wirelessly charge 3 to 5 IT devices within a 20 cm diameter range illuminated by the stand’s light. The business scope will be expanded based on the demonstration results.
Lee Kyunghak, CEO of Warp Solution, said, “We are capable of producing the long-distance wireless charging technology and the core component, a miniature power amplifier (PA), which even global giants like Apple have not made,” explaining, “The power amplifier amplifies signals to send data over long distances, and when data is transmitted using frequency, charging power can also be transmitted.”
A shared kitchen for food truck operators will also open. Food truck operators will perform pre-processing and semi-preparation in the shared kitchen, then complete the final cooking in the food truck to sell to consumers.
The review committee granted a “demonstration exemption” on the condition of compliance with shared kitchen operation guidelines, considering consumer welfare through safe hygiene management by food truck operators.
Under current law, cooking and sales activities are only allowed at the registered “food truck” location because the food truck business area is registered as the area of a food sales vehicle. Additionally, sharing of kitchens and related facilities is prohibited under the principle of one cooking place and one operator to prevent cross-contamination and food poisoning.
Ham Hyungeun, CEO of Chilling Kitchen, said, “Through the shared kitchen, we will upgrade not only hygiene and taste but the overall food truck service,” adding, “We will provide full support to activate youth food truck businesses by consulting on menu development, hygiene management, marketing, and overall food truck operations.”
A non-face-to-face mobile communication subscription service (KT) using a simple identity verification app (PASS) and account verification also received temporary approval. Currently, mobile communication service subscriptions via websites or apps require a universal public certificate or credit card, but in the future, only the PASS app and a bank account will be needed.
PASS is a simple identity verification app used by the three major telecom companies that utilizes mobile phone/PIN numbers and biometric information (fingerprint, iris, facial recognition). It is easy to install and use, and 30 million people use it with financial-level security standards. Account verification is a service that confirms identity by transferring a small amount (1 KRW) to the user’s account and entering the transmitted authentication value.
The KCCI explained that the temporary approval for non-face-to-face subscription through multi-factor authentication expands identity verification methods, improving user convenience and preventing damage caused by fraudulent subscriptions by others. It is also expected to help revitalize the identity verification market beyond just public certificates.
Woo Taehee, Executive Vice President of KCCI, said, “The first cooperative project between KCCI and the Ministry of Science and ICT has opened,” adding, “As the only private sandbox organization in Korea, KCCI will actively support innovative businesses through the ICT sandbox to ensure they are not hindered by regulations.”
Meanwhile, the ICT regulatory sandbox review committee also reviewed and approved a total of nine projects, including prepaid taxi fare services, taxi shift services outside taxi garages, and GPS-based app meters, in addition to the KCCI projects.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
