[Edaily Reporter Kim Hyun-ah ] The government is launching a full-scale effort to cultivate high-level talent to ensure the competitiveness of the blockchain industry. As blockchain—which was previously used primarily for virtual assets—expands its scope to include digital identity (DID), financial services, and AI data verification, the training of interdisciplinary experts needed in the industry has emerged as a key priority.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 5th that, in collaboration with the KoreaInformation&Communication Agency (KISA), it has selected two consortia to carry out the “2026 Blockchain Specialized University (Graduate School) Support Project” and will proceed with training specialized personnel through industry-academia collaboration.

The Seoul Women’s University Consortium and the Incheon Technopark Consortium were selected for this project. The Seoul Women’s University Consortium includes Konyang University, Hansei University, and the blockchain security firm RaonSecure Co., Ltd.(042510), while the Incheon Technopark Consortium includes Incheon National University and Inha University.

Expanding Beyond Blockchain and Virtual Assets to Core Technologies in AI and Finance

The scope of blockchain applications has been rapidly expanding recently. It is gaining attention as a core technology in various industries, including digital assets and stablecoins, as well as digital identity verification, data trust management, and financial services.

In particular, with the dawn of the era of generative AI and Agent AI, the importance of technologies that verify the origin and reliability of data is growing. As the potential for utilizing blockchain in new service environments—such as transactions and payments between Agent AIs and data verification—increases, competition to secure relevant specialized talent is also intensifying.

Through this initiative, the government plans to cultivate interdisciplinary talent capable of going beyond the role of a simple blockchain developer to design and implement new services by integrating blockchain with other industries such as finance, security, and AI.

Strengthening Practice-Oriented Education in DID, Smart Contracts, and More

The selected universities will operate specialized blockchain curricula for undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students.

The curriculum will cover foundational blockchain theory as well as areas in high demand within the industry, such as Decentralized Identity (DID), smart contracts, and digital finance.

In particular, the program will strengthen hands-on training in collaboration with companies. Students will participate in problem-solving projects based on real-world challenges presented by companies, gaining experience across the entire process—from planning to development and validation of blockchain services.

In addition, the program aims to enhance students’ adaptability to the workplace and global competitiveness through internships, blockchain competitions, and exchange programs with overseas universities.

Support

for Up to 4 Years… Fostering a Hub for Blockchain Talent Development

The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to allocate a budget of 700 million won this year to support the initiative and will provide funding to the selected consortium for up to four years following a performance evaluation.

The government aims to develop these specialized universities and graduate schools into hubs for cultivating high-level blockchain talent, while simultaneously expanding short-term, industry-focused training programs for existing software (SW) developers and training courses for elite blockchain professionals.

Furthermore, the government intends to strengthen the foundation for supplying specialized personnel needed in the industry by linking with existing digital talent development systems, such as University ICT Research Centers (ITRC) and ICT Innovation Square.

Industry observers view this initiative as a catalyst for the domestic blockchain ecosystem to transition from a focus on technology development to the creation of actual industrial services. With the institutionalization of digital assets and the proliferation of AI services occurring in tandem, demand for blockchain specialists is expected to grow further, particularly in the finance, security, and public sectors.

Lee Do-kyu, Director General of the Information and Communications Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, “As the scope of the blockchain industry expands and the convergence of technologies accelerates, talent capable of understanding industry demands and translating them into new services is becoming increasingly important.” He added, “We expect participating universities and companies to pool their expertise and experience to achieve tangible results in talent development.”