Korean Media | Walton Blockchain Institute President Kong Jong Ryul: The Next 30 Years are the Blockchain Era
Note by Waltonchain: This article is the interview of Walton Blockchain Institute President Kong Jong Ryul to Korean media BC Insight.
Starting from 1980, Kong Jong Ryul held public office in departments of the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Information and Communications, and also worked at various IT enterprises. Now, as President of Walton Blockchain Institute, he shares the story of blockchain and talent training.
In 2000, the blockchain technology was considered revolutionary, as was Internet previously. Blockchain was also seen as a core technology of the fourth industrial revolution. “The next 30 years will be the era of blockchain” President Kong said.
President Kong graduated from Kyonggi University in Seoul and worked in the Ministry of Information and Communications. In 2000, he resigned from public office and dedicated his career to the Internet Industry. Since then, he has served as a representative of Electronic Times Internet and Korea Cable Telecom. It is well known across the industry, that when at Korea Cable Telecom, President Kong contributed to the selection of the fourth mobile telecommunications operator in Korea.
After the founding ceremony of the Walton Blockchain Institute in June, he stated “The next 30 years are the era of blockchain, but there is a lack of talents.” When asked why not 10 or 40, but 30 years and what is the basis for such an estimate, Mr. Kong said, ”The age of big computers was the 60–90-s, then it has been the 30-year customer server era, and the next 30 years will be the era of blockchain.”
President Kong is looking forward to the emergence of blockchain 3.0 in the Walton Blockchain Institute. Regarding the prospects of the next stage of blockchain, he said, “I don’t like words like blockchain 1.0 and 2.0. These stages of Blockchain are applicable to cryptocurrencies like Ethereum as a form of currency, which expands to smart contracts. The next stage — blockchain 3.0 — is the stage of real life application and the unlocking of new value across various industries.
On the other hand, President Kong believes that even if blockchain has a possibility in blockchain 3.0, professional talents are still very inadequate. Blockchain related colleges and schools are springing up everywhere, but there are few places that offer more than six months of professional education. This is the main reason why Walton Blockchain Institute was established.
The Institute registered by the Department of Education is not a school, but rather a “lifelong education institution”. It is also the earliest non-profit blockchain educational institution authorized by the Ministry of Science and ICT of Korea. All the expenses for its establishment and operation are funded by Waltonchain. Waltonchain readily accepted the proposal to cultivate blockchain talent from Mr. Kong, the Korean IT enterprise authority.
The approach of Waltonchain’s learning institute is different from other common blockchain learning enterprises due to its meticulous attention to details with regards to student recruitment demographics, location of the academy, what to learn and how to learn. The academy might also involve the group of professors who were instrumental in the creation of Waltonchain in the syllabus and they might also give lectures in the academy.
Waltonchain professors are deeply involved in business affairs. According to President Kong, Waltonchain senior blockchain adviser and professor at Korea University Kim Suk Ki said he intends to hold lectures for the enterprise pioneers who participate in the Waltonchain project. Similar to the 80–90-s projects of the Ministry of Information and Communications, the first semester starts on the last week of August. The curriculum has two courses: “blockchain technical talent education (practice + major studies)” and “senior blockchain operator.”
Beginners can choose a 2-month basic course for practical talents. Those with experience in development can choose 4-month specialized talent courses, including a course on implementation and release of an actual blockchain system construction project, to deepen their knowledge.
The Institute studies 13 technology application fields. Earlier President Kong officially revealed that they are in contact with IT companies such as CJHello and Sejong Telecom as well as seed, agricultural products, livestock circulation and food enterprises.
In addition to the employment through professional development and start-up support, the Institute seeks for mass adoption of the vertical scheme “education — start-up/employment”. Via global headhunter companies, it seeks to help people who want to be employed through career guidance, job matching services and provide financial support to those who want to start a business. In 2019, the Institute plans to open a start-up support center and provide office, tax and law one-stop services.
President Kong: “(The Institute) is a technical educational institution for new people and professionals to explore new directions and provide opportunities. It provides high-level talents who can start work immediately.”
It is revealed that the Institute will work together with Korean Standards Association to promote education, qualification certification, government support, etc. Together with Korea Blockchain Association (Director: Jin Dae Je) they will promote business cooperation on entrustment of educational institutions. They also plan to change the name of Walton Blockchain Institute into Korean Blockchain Institute. (Editor’s Note: The significance of the name change would indicate a clearer, more transparent connection directly between Waltonchain and the Korean government as well as Korea’s national blockchain development goals.) The Institute hopes that everybody will distinguish Walton Blockchain Institute from ordinary blockchain schools. In the coming 30 years, the Institute can become a main promoter of the blockchain industry.
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