The US State Department and South Korea[1]’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MSIT) have resolved to strengthen the two countries’ cooperation in advancing the Fourth Industrial Revolution, at a press conference[2] held in Seoul today, June 22.
The so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution has been characterized[3] by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as a series of technological breakthroughs that “will fundamentally alter the way we live, work and relate to one another… [across] the global polity, from the public and private sectors to academia and civil society.” The WEF recognized[4] blockchain[5]’s major role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution as early as 2016.
Today’s press conference in Seoul revealed that the US and South Korea plan to coordinate their information and communication technology (ICT) policy, as well as resolving to “strengthen [their] bilateral cooperation on cybersecurity[6] and privacy,” with both countries recognizing that “data is a key resource” in the Fourth Industrial era.
The two governments today said they would work together alongside international organizations such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to work towards “more transparent and open global internet governance” - for which blockchain’s central offering of a tamper-proof ledger is a cornerstone innovation.
Notably, the two countries revealed plans to to enlist Korean electronics giant Samsung[7] and
US-based Microsoft[8] - both of which have heavily invested[9] in the development[10] of their own blockchain platforms[11] - to advise on ways in which new technologies can contribute to the people and economies of both countries.
