Raonsecure said on the 9th that it signed a four-party memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Chung-Ang University, Japan's TOPPAN, and Soka University for a proof-of-concept of cross-border digital certificate mutual authentication based on verifiable credentials (VC).
The agreement was prepared to establish a digital trust framework that allows student-related certificates issued by universities to be submitted and verified safely across borders. Raonsecure and TOPPAN plan to jointly verify a mutual authentication system applicable to student exchange between Korean and Japanese universities by linking VC-based digital certificate issuance and verification technologies.
Once the proof-of-concept is completed, when a Chung-Ang University student goes to Soka University in Japan as an exchange student, the student can receive a transcript, certificate of completion, course history, and other documents in digital form through Raonsecure's Blockchain-based digital identity and credential platform OmniOne Digital ID, and Soka University can verify them through TOPPAN's credential platform. The same method will allow Soka University students coming to Chung-Ang University to submit and have their digital certificates verified.
Chung-Ang University is currently issuing major academic certificates—such as admission, transcripts, and graduation certificates—digitally using the OmniOne platform. Raonsecure said the proof-of-concept is significant in that it expands an actually operating university digital certificate system into a cross-border mutual authentication environment.
Through this proof-of-concept, the four institutions plan to verify interoperability between the Korean and Japanese credential platforms; legal and institutional issues necessary for the use of cross-border digital certificates; issuance, submission, and verification procedures in university settings; and security frameworks and technical enhancements.
The company noted that universities can build a mutual authentication system without overhauling their existing academic systems on a large scale, and that administrative procedures arising in international student exchanges—such as issuing paper documents, translation, and notarization—are expected to be streamlined.
Kim Tae-jin, chief technology officer (CTO) of Raonsecure, said, "Digital certificates are next-generation digital trust infrastructure that allow individuals to securely hold their trust information and have it verified instantly when needed," adding, "Through this proof-of-concept, we will verify a global digital trust model connecting Korea and Japan and expand the global credential ecosystem into various fields, including education, administration, and finance."