This is the first time a public agency tasked with operating national qualifications programs has developed a smartphone-based certificate for on-demand credentials checks. Access to public service is enhanced by leveraging high-penetration platforms for service delivery. HRDKorea selected Naver and Kakao as partners for the Mobile Technical Qualifications Service and provided them with access to its data.  User convenience is significantly improved as no document scanning is needed, nor the downloading of a new app as the Service runs on either one of the two apps almost every Korean already has. Any citizen simply needs to follow an authentication step and they'll have their digital certificate in hand. Perhaps most importantly, the Mobile National Technical Qualifications Service has a modular design that fits into a wide range of other services. More than just a guarantee of qualifications, it is an active communicator of the person’s capacity when doing business or during job searches.

The Mobile National Technical Qualification Service needs to understand whether it currently meets the needs of its customers and consider areas where it can be expanded further. First, KakaoTalk exposes connected mobile certificates to personal profiles in the form of digital badges to exchange qualification information with or use them for talent donations and business activities. In addition, Naver automatically submits connected mobile certificate information to various job portal resumes, making it easier to fill out resumes. These services will prevent unfortunate cases in which job seekers fail in the hiring process due to incorrect qualification information on their resumes. HRDKorea will explore another area where we can leverage the infinite potential of The Mobile National Technical Qualification Service to enhance customer convenience.

A service development MOU was signed with Korea’s 1st search engine (Naver) and messenger app (Kakao) for improving public services and ease-of-use. HRDK thus enlisted powerful tech solutions and talent from the private sector for its Mobile National Technical Qualifications Service to be delivered upon platforms most Koreans are already plugged into. Incorporating private sector resources for designing, developing, and launching the Service meant a timely delivery was practically guaranteed.

The Service can be used by any qualification-holder, regardless of resident status. This free, on-demand solution works across devices, making credentials checks that much easier. The Korean government even recognizes this mobile certificate as legal ID for national qualifications tests and elections, removing the need for checking physical ID and greatly improving public service efficiency on all fronts.

In 2021 – the launch year – more than 2.3 million people used the Service. About 700,000 people acquire National Technical Qualifications each year, so the initiative has established itself as a widely used public convenience service in a short period. It was selected as the 2021 Citizens’ Choice for Outstanding Government Innovation, and was invited to showcase at the K-Innovation Expo. Today, the government even allows its use as ID for national qualifications tests and elections.
This is the first time a public agency operating national certifications has developed a mobile-based certificate, thus leading digital innovation in public services, as evidenced by various peer organizations such as Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Korea Coast Guard, and G-TELP Committee of Korea following suit. The initiative also reduced costs by about USD1.4 million, while also strengthening public trust by preventing misplacing of paper certificates, or forgery and other illegal practices.

The biggest issue the initiative sought to tackle was forgery, illegal borrowing of certificates, and personal data protection. A tech firm capable of delivering dependable, secure, and trusted solutions was needed. The government reviewed security practices of Naver and Kakao and chose them as partners. We utilized security consultation programs provided by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to enlist the aid of external experts to examine the security profile of the Service and conduct personal data impact assessment. Security features such as biometrics, holograms, and blockchain technology in the mobile certificate further prevented misplacement and illegal use. Naturally, there were gaps between the private and public sectors, including work practices and tech fluency. Though HRDKorea had comparatively limited resources, assigning complementary roles, and sharing knowledge, experience, and working realities helped close the gap and arrive at the successful innovation.

The first condition for the success of this innovation was the decision to utilize an established digital infrastructure which greatly reduced time and cost, allowing timely development of an essential public service. Despite HRDKorea being limited in resources, its accurate assessment of user needs enabled an effective public-private partnership. As a physical certificate is unwieldy and vulnerable to misuse, we decided to become the first to develop an innovative alternative. As a result, HRDKorea further strengthened its competitiveness by leveraging the capacity of the private sector to deliver public service at the level citizens are used to. The second condition for success was ease-of-use. The Service does not require its own app and runs on widely-adopted platforms –Naver, KakaoTalk –which bypasses the need to scan a physical ID for authentication when accessing the Service. If you are logged into Naver or KakaoTalk, basically you have access to your certificates.

What distinguishes the Mobile National Technical Qualifications Service is that it is not only the certificate’s digital twin, but also seamlessly and effectively communicates an individual’s qualifications and thus enables both doing business and job searches across major platforms. On KakaoTalk, the Service comes with a digital badge for the profile image which makes it easy to signal/assess qualifications while messaging, with additional features to enable volunteerism or entrepreneurship.
Through the Naver app, attaching certificates to CVs on job search websites has become quick and accurate, which precludes mistakes in entering qualifications so that you do not get passed over because of a typo. As such, the Mobile National Technical Qualifications Service has incredibly broad application potential which we will continue to develop to empower jobseekers while acting as a bridge connecting employers to skilled talent.

On the day of test outcomes, the lines for certificates at HRDKorea district offices stretched endlessly. This was perceived as a public health risk in the early days of the pandemic. The Mobile National Technical Qualifications Service may be considered a model case of rapid response by a public institution to potential social dangers. It also catalyzed a shift in the organization’s attitude towards change from wariness to confidence. Carrying around paper certificates or turning the home upside down to find it will all be stories of the past, as will visiting HRDKorea district offices to issue certificates or counting days until it arrives in the mail. This innovation taught us the value of public-private partnerships and how this holds opportunity for radical reimagining of how public services are delivered. HRDKorea will continue to diversify both its services and how they are delivered, while also searching for additional areas for innovation and digital transformation.