Lemon Healthcare launches blockchain-based electronic prescription service

Bank of Korea Explores Jeju, Busan, and Incheon for Citizen-Centric CBDC Pilot TestThe Bank of Korea (BOK) is reportedly reviewing three potential locations for a pilot test of a citizen-centric payment system utilizing the Korean Won central bank digital currency (CBDC). Instead of choosing Seoul, the nation’s capital city, the BOK is considering Jeju, Busan, and Incheon for the pilot. That’s according to local tech news outlet IT Chosun.The three cities have been selected as possible testbeds, and discussions with commercial banks are ongoing to move the project forward. Once a city is chosen, the BOK will collaborate with local retailers, including hypermarkets, to test the CBDC payment and distribution system.Photo by Ethan Brooke on UnsplashRegional currency modelThe CBDC test will be limited to a specific area, operating similarly to regional currencies issued by municipal governments to stimulate local economies. The CBDC wallet app will be available to all citizens, but its usage will be restricted to retailers in the designated area. Presently, Jeju, Busan, and Incheon already have their own regional currencies managed by local banks and financial institutions.However, implementing the CBDC system poses technical challenges. In remote tests last year, the BOK discovered that transaction speeds for small transfers were slower compared to traditional payment processing providers in regions outside the Seoul Metropolitan Area.Against this backdrop, the BOK seeks to recruit an unusually large number of tech experts in order to build a large-scale system for small payments. The bank has been actively hiring individuals for this purpose since the beginning of the year.CBDC test next yearWith the test scheduled for next year, the BOK aims to promptly select the test destination based on the system’s expected performance, estimated user numbers, and potential economic impact.While Busan is more or less shunned due to its large population, Jeju is emerging as a preferred choice. However, the final decision has been tentatively postponed due to internal issues within the BOK.Following the pilot test results, the BOK may gradually broaden the scope of the CBDC system. Meanwhile, in a similar development, China began its CBDC pilots in 2020 and has now expanded its CBDC use to 26 cities across 17 provinces.According to a BOK official, the Korean central bank is making seamless preparation for the test and engaging in discussions with commercial banks to explore their operating models and devise effective implementation strategies.

Leading crypto exchange platform OKX has recently unveiled its plans to enhance its marketplace by incorporating Atomicals (ARC-20), Runes, Stamps (SRC-20) and Dogecoin’s Doginals (DRC-20) into its Web3 wallet. ‘First-to-market’ initiativeTaking to social media on Monday, the firm provided further details regarding the additions, outlining that it is part of a "first-to-market" initiative, solidifying OKX's commitment to the expanding realm of Bitcoin NFTs. The integration of these token standards is aimed at positioning OKX as a leading one-stop NFT ecosystem within Web3. Starting with the integration of Stamps on Feb. 5, OKX Wallet users will gain the ability to view and transfer Bitcoin token standards. Subsequently, in late February, OKX Wallet will extend its support to Atomicals, Doginals and Runes, enabling millions of users to engage in buying and selling these NFTs without incurring any trading fees. OKX Marketplace will also follow suit, integrating DRC-20, ARC-20 and Runes standards in late February, thus broadening the scope for users to participate in zero-fee trading.Photo by Shubham's Web3 on UnsplashDriving mainstream adoption of Web3Jason Lau, chief innovation officer at OKX, underscored the platform's dedication to driving mainstream adoption of Web3 technologies, making the exploration and realization of NFT potential more accessible for users. Despite concerns about potential blockchain congestion due to NFTs, Lau characterized these challenges as "growing pains," expressing confidence that they will be addressed over time. Lau told CoinDesk that “these things will last forever, as long as the chain lasts.” Emphasizing the surge in activity and user growth since the launch of their product, Lau positioned OKX as an evolving platform at the forefront of developing tools for users to access all of Web3. OKX Wallet's inscriptions tool presently supports minting on 23 networks, including Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum, Polygon, BNB Chain, Avalanche-C and Arbitrum One, among others. Boosting OKX MarketplaceThe move aims to establish OKX Marketplace as the largest NFT marketplace in the industry, boasting zero-fee trading across an expanding range of token standards. The platform's advanced NFT offering includes features such as hex error checking, liquidity across multiple standards, bulk minting capabilities and automatic error detection. Despite OKX's open embrace of Ordinals and other Bitcoin protocols, some members of the Bitcoin ecosystem express discontent, labeling Ordinals as digital spam. Jason Lau vehemently disagrees, asserting that in open and permissionless networks like Bitcoin, "there is no such thing as spam." He contends that as long as fees are paid and transactions adhere to consensus rules, they are valid. Lau emphasizes OKX's historical support for the Bitcoin ecosystem, including upgrades like SegWit, Taproot and Lightning. As debates surrounding the role of Ordinals and NFTs within the Bitcoin ecosystem persist, OKX's proactive stance signals a belief in the potential of Bitcoin-based NFTs to introduce innovative use cases and design possibilities. The disruptions experienced by various blockchains in December, attributed to increased transaction activity related to inscriptions, underscore the growing impact of these developments within the Bitcoin ecosystem and the broader crypto landscape. 

Mirae Asset Securities and NEAR Protocol Partner to Advance Blockchain TechSouth Korea’s leading securities firm, Mirae Asset Securities, has partnered with the Swiss-based NEAR Foundation to further the development of Web3 initiatives, according to Digital Today’s report.Photo by Shubham Dhage on UnsplashCollaboration on Web3 researchThe NEAR Foundation is a Swiss-based non-profit organization behind the NEAR Protocol, a blockchain platform designed to support the operation of decentralized apps (dApps). The collaboration between NEAR and Mirae Asset Securities will encompass various endeavors, including conducting research on Web3 and blockchain technology within the financial sector, organizing awareness-raising events for both entities, and establishing a cooperative system to enhance the business network between Web2 and Web3.An In-sung, the head of the digital division at Mirae Asset Securities, expressed the company’s commitment to advancing blockchain technology and collaborating with partners to gain a competitive advantage in the Web3 sector. NEAR Foundation CEO Marieke Flament highlighted the technical expertise of their platform, emphasizing its potential to drive innovations within the financial industry through cooperation with Mirae Asset Securities.NEAR’s broader engagement in KoreaThe NEAR Foundation’s collaborative efforts extend beyond the financial sector in Korea. Earlier this month, the organization forged a strategic partnership with MARBLEX, a blockchain arm of gaming publisher Netmarble. This alliance aims to foster the growth of the Korean Web3 gaming industry, indicating the foundation’s wider involvement in the East Asian country.