KOICA, 'Blockchain Technology' Development Cooperation Forum on the 30th

Discussion on the Potential Integration of Development Cooperation Projects and 4th Industrial Revolution Innovative Technologies

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] KOICA announced on the 26th that it will hold the 46th Development Cooperation Forum on the 30th under the theme "Understanding Blockchain Technology and Its Application to Development Cooperation Projects."

This Development Cooperation Forum is organized to explore related cases and limitations based on an understanding of blockchain technology, which is regarded as a core technology of the 4th Industrial Revolution era, and to seek ways to apply it to development cooperation projects.

The forum will share ways to utilize blockchain technology in development cooperation projects based on the accelerating trends of innovative technology use and the current status of blockchain technology. It will also examine the characteristics of blockchain technology applicable to various fields such as public administration, finance, and energy, and discuss whether it can be integrated into development cooperation projects considering the environments of developing countries.

The Development Cooperation Forum will begin with an opening address by Baek Sook-hee, Director of KOICA's Africa, Middle East & Latin America Headquarters, and proceed in three sessions.

The first session, titled "Understanding the Concept of Blockchain and Related Technologies," will feature Professor Lee Kyung-hyun of the Department of IT Convergence and Application Engineering at Pukyong National University presenting on the basic principles, characteristics, and current technological level of blockchain.

The second session, titled "Application Areas of Blockchain and Domestic and International Cases," will have Park Se-yeol, General Manager of IBM Blockchain Technology, analyze the fields where blockchain technologies such as cryptocurrencies and smart contracts can be applied and examine the overall potential for blockchain technology integration through actual domestic and international cases.

The third session, titled "Challenges in Developing Countries and the Use of Blockchain," will feature Choi Eun-chang, CEO of GP3 Korea, presenting on the current status of blockchain use in developing countries, the issues that need to be resolved for blockchain technology utilization in development cooperation projects, and future directions.

Following the presentations, a discussion will be held with Professor Park Kyung-ryeol of the Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy at KAIST as the moderator. The three presenters, along with Kim Tae-eun, Head of KOICA's Knowledge Data Team, and Kim Kyung-hoon, Director of the AI Strategy Center at the Korea Information Society Development Institute, will discuss the potential for integrating blockchain technology into development cooperation projects.

Meanwhile, the 46th KOICA Development Cooperation Forum will be held as a real-time webinar. It can be viewed on KOICA's official YouTube channel from 2 p.m. on the 30th. During the live broadcast on YouTube, viewers can ask questions about the forum content via the chat window, and selected participants will receive small gifts through a raffle. Detailed information can be found on KOICA's website.