ICONLOOP and Jeju Province Begin Full Operation of Jeju Safe Code, the Blockchain-Based Tourism Quarantine System
Jeju Safe Code is a system jointly developed by ICONLOOP and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province under a public-private cooperation agreement. Since August, it has been used to verify entry to public institutions while a pilot was run at many businesses, including restaurants near the provincial government offices. On the strength of the positive response to the pilot and the potential to take the project forward, it was announced in October as part of the "safety net strengthening" initiative within the Jeju New Deal comprehensive plan.
Jeju Safe Code is a Jeju-tailored tourism quarantine system designed to respond effectively to cluster infections by quickly identifying the visit records and contacts of people confirmed with infectious diseases such as COVID-19. As Korea's leading tourist destination, Jeju sees a heavy inflow of outside visitors, and tourists by nature move across a wide area with high visit rates at crowded places such as popular restaurants and attractions. Because this raises the risk of quarantine gaps and of difficulty tracing movements when a case is confirmed, the aim is to expand entry authentication services to the places tourists mainly visit and to build a sustainable tourism quarantine system optimized for the characteristics of a tourist destination. The plan is also to implement a more convenient, faster, and safer quarantine framework using blockchain technology.
The biggest distinguishing feature of Jeju Safe Code is that, unlike the conventional approach of generating a QR code on the user's phone, it enables fast, simple entry authentication by scanning a QR code posted at the venue. In other words, placing several QR codes allows many people to authenticate entry at the same time without waiting or queuing even when a single venue is busy, improving visitor convenience and also reducing concerns about COVID-19 infection. Business owners, too, can use it by posting a printed QR code with no dedicated terminal or app installation required — convenient and low-burden.
Another strength of the system is that visitor information cannot be forged or altered, thanks to blockchain technology. When Jeju Safe Code is used, personal identity information and visit records are encrypted and stored in distributed form, and this entry authentication data is used solely for epidemiological investigation of confirmed cases. Users can also check their own entry authentication history directly.
The system consists of the Jeju Safe Code app, the Jeju Safe Code issued via DID through Zzeung, ICONLOOP's DID identity verification app, and a Jeju-only epidemiological investigation system. First, the Jeju Safe Code app released by the province for effective operation and expansion of the system allows simple entry authentication by photographing the QR code posted at a venue with a phone, without a separate sign-up. Beyond entry authentication, a variety of built-in features and content are planned so that tourists can enjoy their travels in a safer environment — surveys of visitors on quarantine conditions at venues, sharing of quarantine information, and the selection and promotion of businesses with outstanding quarantine practices among them.
The system can also be used through Zzeung (https://zzeung.id), ICONLOOP's DID identity verification app. Scanning the QR code posted at a venue with the camera in the Zzeung app issues a Jeju Safe Code based on DID, which is stored on the user's phone, allowing entry authentication without exposing personal data when visiting a business. DID (Decentralized Identifier) is a self-sovereign authentication method in which individuals manage their own data directly — a blockchain-based identity verification technology that stores verified personal data on the user's phone and lets the user select and submit only the information needed when authentication is required. Because entry authentication through Zzeung has users submit their personal data directly to the quarantine authorities without the involvement of a third-party institution, it reduces the risk of personal data leakage and privacy infringement.
In addition, the Jeju-only epidemiological investigation system makes it possible to view at once, and quickly, the list of contacts who visited the same place at the same time as a confirmed case, enabling rapid identification and tracing of secondary and subsequent infections.
Around 800 businesses across the island have already completed applications to register as Jeju Safe Code venues, showing the expectations business owners have for the service. Businesses can apply for Jeju Safe Code registration at the COVID-19 situation room on the Jeju provincial government website (https://www.jeju.go.kr/corona19.jsp).
"We will do our utmost so that Jeju Safe Code, which applies our blockchain technology, helps put in place a quarantine framework both Jeju residents and tourists can rely on," said ICONLOOP CEO JH Kim. "At a time when COVID-19 is changing so much of the everyday life we took for granted, we will keep working to ensure blockchain technology contributes to making the world safer and more trustworthy."
Zzeung, ICONLOOP's DID identity verification service providing a range of identity verification functions including real-name verification, visit authentication, and credential verification, was used with Shinhan Bank in Korea's first application of DID to real-name verification in the financial sector, and is broadening its scope of use to Jeju Safe Code and the blockchain-based integrated chronic disease management platform for Gangwon Province, among others.
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