Ahead of the Seoul mayoral elections in June, the present mayor of the South Korean capital Park Won-Soon has made manifesto pledges to increase blockchain developments, among other high-tech industries.
A progressive power
Park has been mayor since 2011 and is now aiming to secure a third term. In the past, he has put forth encouraging proposals for urban redevelopment under his aspirational ‘smart city’ plans which have been in motion as early as 2014.
As reported by local news outlet The Korean Herald, Park had highlighted “six strategic sectors that the city hopes to expand, including the Internet of Things, AI, big data, and bio-health, while creating more jobs in less affluent neighborhoods to promote ‘balanced regional development'”.
CoinDesk Korea also reported that he is doubling down on his commitment by furthering efforts to create a center for blockchain incubation in the city district of Mapo. His words will undoubtedly chime well with the swathes of millennials in South Korea who are investing in cryptocurrencies and are soon to be part of a “cashless society” pilot project conducted by the Bank of Korea.
Park’s blockchain commitment, which was announced on 20 May, is a pledge to turn the Mapo Fintech Lab into a dedicated hub for blockchain and fintech development. It is the first proposal in history from the Seoul Metropolitan Government to back blockchain technology.
South Korea appears to be moving past its skeptical views of initial coin offerings (ICOs) and cryptocurrencies at an accelerating pace. Fresh regulatory stances, taxation laws and the push to legalize ICOs have put South Korea at center stage of blockchain advancements, and Park’s propositions are putting him at the epicenter of further industry attention.
In early April, Bitcoin News reported that the mayor had announced plans to further implement blockchain technology in the capital city, citing economic benefits, savings on utilities and providing new work opportunities for the young and unemployed populace of Seoul.
S-Coin and beyond
The mayor has also put forth even bolder plans to introduce a cryptocurrency for the city. Park is working towards creating appropriate institutional frameworks for Seoul to have its own digital currency, ‘S-Coin’, which will be used in city-funded social benefits programs.
With it, he is keen to address the scrutinous views presently held by the South Korean government. Park suggests that with evidence of success, further developments will follow soon after.
In an interview with CoinDesk Korea, Park said, “As Seoul is the world’s leading city in the field of information and communications, including the Fourth Industrial Revolution, I think we should study new technologies such as blockchains.”
The news has received international attention and should the mayor attain his third term, Seoul could become the blockchain capital of the world, challenging highly favorable crypto-friendly nations like Switzerland.
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