Digital ID for people with disabilities advance in S. Korea, Thailand

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Digital ID mobile apps are gathering steam in South Korea and Thailand amid a race by technology firms to uncover new utilities for people with disabilities.

According to a report, South Korea-based Raonsecure has clinched a contract to develop a national digital ID system for people with disabilities in the Southeast Asian country. Raonsecure received approval from the Korea Minting, Security Printing & ID Card Operating Corporation (KOMSCO).

Raonsecure will roll out a mobile application for the digital ID system, leaning on blockchain technology for transparency and immutability properties. Upon launch, the new digital ID system will allow disabled residents to access welfare services remotely or in person.

The traditional means of identification for disabled individuals are prone to forgery, and without digital functionalities, their utility is limited. Raonsecure is building on the existing successes of its digital ID initiatives for mobile resident registration cards and mobile driver’s licenses.

“This mobile disability registration card construction project will serve as a model example of how blockchain-based digital ID technology can directly contribute to improving the quality of life for socially vulnerable individuals,” said Raonsecure CE Lee Soon-hyung.

On the other hand, Thailand is pushing the frontiers with digital IDs for persons with disabilities within its borders. Thailand’s government is pursuing digital inclusion for persons in the cohort by launching a new mobile application.

Authorities have rolled out the DepFund app, which allows disabled people to apply for interest-free loans. Users can borrow between THB 60,000 – 120,000 ($1,835 – $3,670), while cooperatives can borrow up to THB 1 million ($30,600).

Since its launch, over 300,000 Thai residents have received interest-free loans, with the authorities disclosing total loan issuances of THB 1.1 billion ($33.6 million) to users. Over 3% of Thailand’s population is disabled, representing 2.2 million individuals living with a form of registered disability.

Both countries are pursuing digitization ambitions

South Korea and Thailand are leading the charge for digitization in the Asia Pacific, unveiling a streak of emerging technology initiatives. In early January, South Korea rolled out blockchain-based digital IDs, introducing the concept to key sectors of its economy for a range of use cases.

Meanwhile, Malawi is pushing to launch a national digital ID system before the end of 2026, eyeing 2 million enrollments and a raft of public use cases.

The digital ID system has received significant backing from the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The incoming digital ID project is part of the World Bank-funded Malawi Digital Foundations project, designed to improve the pace of digitization for the landlocked African country.

While details of the inner workings of the incoming digital ID system are sparse, the push is underpinned by a spike in legal IDs in the country. Available data reveal that 12 million citizens have a national identity card, a nearly 100% adoption rate for citizens aged 16 and above.

Malawian authorities argue that a strong legal ID adoption trend will make the transition to digital IDs seamless for residents. The country is targeting onboarding two million citizens before the end of 2026 as key sectors of the Malawian economy brace for novel use cases.

Regarding data security, Malawi’s national digital ID system will adopt the Universal DPI Safeguard Framework to protect personal information and may rely on blockchain. Use cases for the proposed digital ID system include voting, aid distribution, public sector payroll, and Know Your Customer (KYC) processes.

Alongside the push for a national digital ID system is a broader transformation of the Malawian economy. The World Bank and UNDP have pledged to support the connection of 500 government establishments to the Internet and distribute mobile phones and laptops to low-income citizens.

“The project developed a foundational digital infrastructure, including a new national datacenter, a data exchange platform (Bomalathu), and improved technical capacity to support digital public service delivery and to enhance the efficiency of the government’s internal operations,” said the World Bank in a statement.

At the core of the push toward digitization is Internet access for citizens, with the World Bank and UNDP providing reliable and cheaper Internet citizens. Over eight years, the price of megabits per second (Mbit/s) fell from $460 to under $10, propping up the charge toward digitization.

A continental rush toward digital IDs

Malawi’s efforts to launch digital IDs follow a broader push by African countries to roll out national digital ID systems. Zambia and Nigeria have had a major head start, while Namibia and Ethiopia are keen on closing the gap with their attempts at setting up their national systems.

South Africa says it will issue 2.5 million digital IDs to citizens before the end of the year and capture all eligible citizens before the 2029 general elections. South Korea and the Philippines have launched and issued digital IDs to citizens, offering a range of functionalities apart from identification.

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