South Korean and German telcos collaborate to create blockchain ID

South Korean telecom giant SK Telecom is collaborating with German telecom company Deutsche Telekom create a blockchain ID in order to simplify authentication processes, ZDNet reported.

SK Telecom will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with T-Labs, Deutsche Telekom’s research unit, at the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC).

According to the official release (via online translation):

“The mobile block chain ID that the two companies have agreed to cooperate is a kind of digital ID card that can be used in various fields such as identity verification, access control, various transactions and contracts. In the future, the two companies plan to cooperate in commercializing mobile block chain ID cards and exploring new business opportunities.”

The companies said that using blockchain technology for identification verification would enable users to “manage and verify the identity in a convenient and safe manner wherever he or she needs, without having to disclose personal information.”

SK Telecom and Deutsche Telecom believe that if the mobile blockchain ID is commercialized and activated, it will be possible for travelers traveling between Korea and Germany to use the services of both companies only through simple identification and subscription procedures.

"We expect this collaboration to be a good example of how digital identities issued by different companies and organizations can be shared across different ecosystems," said John Calian T Labs, Deutsche Telekom.