DIGITAL DRIVER'S LICENSE APP

[Anchor Lead]

A new smartphone app allows to register a driver's license in the smartphone and used it digitally. Operated through block chain encryption and shared with police, the technology is expected to help prevent accidents caused by minors who get access to cars through identity theft.

[Pkg]

A car runs on a motorway at 180km an hour. The driver was found to be a high school student. He borrowed the vehicle by using his father's ID to sign up on a car sharing app. Such incidents can be prevented in the future by using the so-called mobile driver's licenses, which require personal identification. The ICT regulatory sandbox committee has tentatively approved the service for smartphone driver's licenses. When a user registers his or her driver's license in a personal identification app provided by telecom companies, it automatically checks if the applicant and the license holder are identical. The QR code on the registered license is connected to the National Police Agency's server to confirm the validity of the license information.

[Soundbite] CHOI DAE-KEUN(NATIONAL POLICE AGENCY) : "This system enables police to check in real time if a driver's license is valid or not and if a certain driver is qualified to operate a vehicle."

All personal information is encrypted through block chain to ensure privacy protection. However, expanding the service to health care and other sectors remains quite complicated.

[Soundbite] LEE KYUNG-HO(PROF., KOREA UNIVERSITY) : "This issue must be handled in phases, as currently the service is used on a limited basis to verify age. It has yet to be confirmed how convenient it is in real life."

A wide range of other new projects using smartphone apps including the taxi meter app have also been approved for pilot operation.