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Incheon City to leverage blockchain for construction transparency

Policy & Regulation·November 02, 2023, 8:53 AM

In response to growing concerns among Koreans over recent apartment complexes built with missing reinforcing bars and unauthorized materials, the city of Incheon is turning to blockchain technology to tackle these issues.

Incheon City revealed on Thursday (local time) that it has submitted proposals for public sector blockchain projects offered by the Ministry of Science and ICT. This move aligns with the city’s goal of establishing itself as a blockchain hub. By partnering with both the public and private sectors, the city aims to provide beneficial services for its citizens.

This year, the Ministry of Science and ICT will gauge interest across government agencies, municipalities and public institutions for six projects, with a combined budget of KRW 10 billion ($7.5 million). In 2024, they plan to select project implementers through a bidding process. The goal is to identify public service projects where the application of blockchain technology can offer significant benefits.

Photo by C Dustin on Unsplash

 

Blockchain-driven construction oversight

In October, Incheon submitted proposals for two blockchain projects. First, it introduced a “safety certification” service to promote transparency at construction sites. This service will harness blockchain-driven integrated control technology to transparently manage apartment complex constructions. It will utilize technologies like closed-circuit television (CCTV), Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) to oversee the presence of authorized personnel and track the use of approved materials.

The city felt the need for this service after observing the prevalent issues with missing reinforcing bars in newly constructed flat-plate structure apartment complexes and incidents of forgery and counterfeiting of material certificates.

 

Blockchain and eco-friendly membership

Another project Incheon has proposed is an integrated membership service centered on eco-friendly practices, with the goal of encouraging resource recycling.

Incheon City currently runs recycling shops and automated recycling machines across its counties and districts to foster recycling habits. However, with different locations necessitating different apps, the city is aiming to consolidate these into a single platform. Additionally, it intends to leverage blockchain technology to enable citizens to verify their environmental contributions.

Lee Nam-joo, Head of Incheon’s Future Industry Bureau, said that how technology should be used is self-evident. He emphasized the city’s dedication to introducing tangible services that address societal challenges and enhance public safety and convenience through the application of digital technology in public services and industrial sites.

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Web3 & Enterprise·

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