[Blockchain Digital ID Innovation④] ISIC International Student Identity Card Launches... Expanding the Foundation of 'Hyperconnectivity' Innovation

The era of ISIC international student cards has begun, following blockchain digital ID-based mobile identification cards. Accordingly, the everyday innovations brought by blockchain digital ID are expanding from national ID systems to the education sector, significantly broadening their foundation.

Recently, news of the launch of the blockchain-based DID ISIC international student card has attracted attention in the blockchain industry. At the end of April, IT security and authentication platform company Raonsecure collaborated with KISSES, the Korean representative office of the ISIC Association, and Future&More, a university academic system operator, to launch the ISIC international student card based on the blockchain-based identity and qualification authentication integrated SaaS platform ‘OmniOne Digital ID.’ Raonsecure has previously developed mobile driver’s licenses, mobile national veterans registration cards, and mobile government employee IDs using its blockchain digital ID technology.

Although some private companies have previously provided mobile student ID services, the blockchain-based DID student ID service is the first with the OmniOne Digital ID-based ISIC international student card. Students at partner universities can issue the DID ISIC international student card through the ‘OmniOne’ app and enjoy the same benefits as the existing plastic card-type ISIC international student card.

The ISIC international student card is issued by the ISIC Association to regular students enrolled in accredited educational institutions attending classes for 15 hours or more per week. Students holding the ISIC international student card can enjoy discounted prices on various services domestically, including public transportation such as the Airport Railroad and Seoul City Tour Bus, numerous art galleries and museums, and various tourism products. Additionally, they receive discounts in various fields such as educational services like the British Council English courses, purchases of laptops or tablet PCs, preferential exchange rates and currency exchange during overseas travel, and Wi-Fi usage fees. Through service partners in over 100 countries worldwide, they can also enjoy various benefits locally abroad.

With the introduction of the first blockchain DID-based international student card, blockchain digital ID technology, which has stood out as a digital ID solution, is expected to expand and be actively applied throughout daily life, extending into the education sector.

Existing digital student IDs provided by private companies are also accessible via mobile and offer various partner discounts, but these services manage personal information on centralized servers. In contrast, blockchain DID-based student IDs store data on distributed nodes, and information changes require consensus from all nodes based on a ‘consensus algorithm,’ making them superior in terms of security and privacy protection.

In particular, blockchain-based digital IDs have great potential to revolutionize daily life by achieving ‘hyperconnectivity,’ which other digital authentication methods cannot realize. While existing authentication technologies require separate storage and verification of IDs and certificates even if digital, blockchain technology, based on Web3 that implements ‘hyperconnectivity,’ can connect everything from digital IDs, student cards, and certificates to digital currencies. Through blockchain, access control, payments, rewards, and MyData implementation are all organically connected, enabling innovative daily life and economic activities.

However, such innovation is not realized by technology alone. A key factor is the activation of an ecosystem through close partnerships among public institutions, financial institutions, educational institutions, and service providers across various industries centered on this technology. As blockchain digital ID technology, which established South Korea’s mobile ID system, is applied not only to IDs but also to the ISIC international student card with partners in over 100 countries globally, the foundation for the ‘hyperconnectivity’ innovation brought by blockchain technology has significantly expanded. Furthermore, the ISIC Association is actively discussing applying blockchain digital ID not only to the ISIC international student card but also to the ITIC (International Teacher Identity Card) and IYTC (International Youth Travel Card).

An industry insider stated, “The reason governments and the international community are focusing on blockchain as the future direction is not only to contribute to the welfare improvement of the 1.1 to 1.3 billion people in the ID blind spots but also because of its innovation in realizing ‘hyperconnectivity’ worldwide, which is difficult with other authentication technologies.” He added, “Recognizing this and proactively establishing leadership in blockchain digital ID is the path to future dominance, and South Korea’s tech industry must actively leverage this opportunity to stand tall as a global K-DID and K-Security leader.”