[Source] 2023.02.17 16:12 Ttanji Daily
Oh Hyun-ok, CEO of zkrypto, “Blockchain voting will change future politics”
[Original article] https://www.ddanzi.com/broadcast/764504153
▷Kim Eo-jun: CES is the world's largest home appliance exhibition. At CES 2023, our companies won the Best Innovation Award. Now, starting this week, we will continue to host companies that have won the Best Innovation Award, but we have the first zkrypto CEO, Oh Hyun-ok. hello.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. hello.
Kim Eo-jun: zkrypto, since the word crypto is included in it, it seems to be related to cryptography.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. My major is cryptography.
▷Kim Eo-jun: You are cryptography. What product did zkrypto win the Best Innovation Award for?
▷Oh Hyun-ok: We have now received the Best Innovation Award for our blockchain voting system.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: I've heard of blockchain, and it was also said a few years ago that Eastern European countries used blockchain technology to introduce it into their voting system.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. It came out a lot, and in fact, there was a lot of talk about blockchain voting in Korea, and in fact, there was a lot of talk about it in Eastern Europe and around the world.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: It was an attempt, but it was a bit fuzzy as they said hacking was happening or something was wrong. Yes?
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. In fact, even before blockchain voting, we talked a lot about online voting.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: That's right.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Actually, the history of voting is quite long, and there were many thoughts of wanting to vote online, but in fact, there were a lot of technical difficulties.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: When online voting is also talked about, in fact, online voting was promoted in Germany, but eventually there was a lawsuit and the German Supreme Court reversed it. The online voting system that was being introduced was all reversed and replaced with a number of votes. I know a little bit because I'm interested, but what's the name of the voting system you developed this time? first.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: zkVoting.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: zkVoting. I don't know what that means, but zk.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: In English, zk is now called Zero-Knowledge, and there is such a cryptographic technology that I call zero-knowledge proof.
▷Kim Eo-jun: Proof of zero knowledge.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Proof. There is such an encryption technology called Zero-Knowledge Proof, and such a voting system applied to that encryption technology, so it is called zkVoting.
▷Kim Eo-jun: What is zero-knowledge proof?
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: So, it's a technique that doesn't show my contents and now proves that something is right.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: It doesn't show the actual content, for example, when it comes to voting, it doesn't show who I voted for, but the fact that I voted itself.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. So, I am the right voter. Then I encrypted this vote and posted it, and the content of the code was made correct. It can be seen as an encryption technology that guarantees this now.
▷Kim Eo-jun: Then, if you think about it by applying it to actual voting, I am a legitimate voter with the right to vote now. i can check this
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: That's how it should be, first.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: Now I take my ID and check my face, but that means it can be confirmed here.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right. yes.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: Even if you don't present your ID?
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: So.. ID is a document that proves who you are, whether you are a voter, or something.. your identity. After all, we have to vote electronically.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: That's right.
▷Oh Hyun-ok: If you want to vote electronically, anyway, making it electronically means that you have valid voting rights.
Kim Eo-jun: Usually, it's like putting on a public certificate or something like that at banks...
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right. But when you type in an official certificate, in fact, when you use it, you have to check if this is the right person, but checking it is the same as saying you need to know who you are.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: That's right. Another person can steal the accredited certificate.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Well, if the secret key is leaked, it can be stolen.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: That's right. But in this case, does that make it fundamentally impossible?
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: The secret key is a different story now. Even when we use something like a public certificate now, if we want to know that this is correct, there must be a key that verifies this certificate, and since it is different for each individual, we can actually know who it is. So what we actually revealed is that we only need to inform that this vote is one of the correct voters.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: That's right.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: You don't need to know who you are.
▷Kim Eo-jun: That's right, that's right.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: So, it can be seen as a technology that proves that someone...is one person out of all.. don't know who it is
▷Kim Eo-jun: I can confirm that I have the right to vote.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right.
▷Kim Eo-jun: And can you confirm that I voted?
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. You can check it again in another form. But I voted, but I don't know who this person voted for. So you can prevent voting this twice, and then you can prevent voters from not knowing who they are.
▷Kim Eo-jun: And you can do it without knowing who you voted for.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. It's encrypted.
▷Kim Eo-jun: I am the one with the right to vote. A person with a legitimate voter voted and the contents are confidential, but against the whole people because it can be proven that a legitimate voter voted.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right. And since it's something that everyone can see, you can confirm that 'this vote is the correct vote.'
▷Kim Eo-Jun: Ah~ It is true that other people also voted for this vote not only for themselves, but also for others who had the right to vote. I don't know who this person voted for, but you can confirm that?
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: Ah~ Only some information is limitedly disclosed?
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: You can see that.
Kim Eo-jun: Oh. But who can't manipulate the results?
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: So, when we say that we manipulate the results, we can manipulate them because we save the contents and don't show them. However, what we are using now is to use a public blockchain, and the public blockchain is that when we store something in the blockchain, everything is visible to everyone. So, since everyone is watching the story that it came in, you won't be able to manipulate the contents anymore.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: Because you can't manipulate all the information that has reached everyone at the same time.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right. Since it is public, you can think of it as simply posting an encrypted vote on a public bulletin board.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: Aha, it sounds like it. (laugh)
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: (Laughter)
▷Kim Eo-Jun: It sounds like it is..
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Actually, it seems plausible.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: They say there is an introductory video.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. All right.
▷Kim Eo-jun: Please watch the introductory video.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: Now, it's easy to hear, but seeing it. (laugh)
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. It's simple to use.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: That's the point. It's called a block now because everyone stores this data at the same time and it's open. chained.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right. yes.
▷Kim Eo-jun: Yes. That's why you can't fake it. first. cannot be modified arbitrarily. So, does that increase the reliability of the results? Yes?
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right.
▷Kim Eo-jun: If the result value cannot be forged, it becomes absolute. This is real real data. However, the secret voting is not guaranteed that everyone can see it, but the secret voting is guaranteed again. Because that person only gets to vote for those who are eligible to vote, right? Did you get it right?
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: So, it's because you have the qualifications and the contents after that are encrypted and uploaded.
▷Kim Eo-jun: That's right. I mean, the secret ballot is guaranteed.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right. yes. you're right. Because I don't know who it is, but only voters prove it. yes. you're right.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: So just check if it's valid.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right. without telling who it is.
Kim Eo-Jun: I didn't announce who it was and the voting result was not announced, but a valid person voted. This table is one table.
▷Oh Hyun-ok: That's right.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: You can check that openly.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: That's why we can prevent unqualified people from voting or fake votes. You can't forge it. Given that this technology received from top innovation experts, it seems that there was a response in the United States.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. They responded well and seemed to understand me well. In fact, before that, there was a lot of talk about blockchain voting and online voting, but if you listen to them all, there are problems. Because I'm going to vote secretly, I need to know who is the right voter, then why should I open it to the Election Commission? Then there will be no secret ballot.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: That's right.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. And then, how do you check the results of the ballot count? Should I believe it because the National Election Commission claims that it is correct? I had that problem now.
▷Kim Eo-jun: Anyone can check.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: Not only the National Election Commission.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. That's an important point. In fact, we now believe in the National Election Commission, but what about the Election Commission?
▷Kim Eo-Jun: This system was not developed because I did not trust banks. security system.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: But in fact, there is a lot of talk about hacking, but in fact, the main content is mainly manipulated by administrators. Well, it's the same in Korea.
▷Kim Eo-jun: Just look at the hacking incident.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right. Well, there are hacks, but in fact, it is more common for administrators to manipulate.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: When an accident happens.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. Yes.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: There were many cases where the security officer was the culprit?
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: A lot. yes.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: I'm saying that's generally the case.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: I can't touch this even if I'm in charge.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right.
▷Kim Eo-jun: Anyone can check it, but only necessary information can be checked.
▷Oh Hyun-ok: That's right.
▷Kim Eo-jun: And forgery is impossible. Listening is a very good skill. So it won the award, but there seems to be interest in applying this to the US as well?
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. there is. So, during CES, we brought people from local governments to come.
▷Kim Eo-jun: That's right. state governments.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: The state and city governments came and showed interest. I guess I'll have to go and see you again as soon as things are sorted out. Then, on the private side, it is now entertainment.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: Ah~ There is such a thing in Korea too.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. same.
▷Kim Eo-jun: Yes. take a popular vote
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. Because it's the same there.
▷Kim Eo-jun: For example, American Idol is the same, and our similar programs are the same, but you vote online. However, there is talk of manipulation with online voting all over the world.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. you're right.
▷Kim Eo-jun: There was an accident in Korea.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: In fact, even though we are doing such things now in our country, these days, fans have become more aware of that, and after voting, they tell us to put out the entire database.
▷Kim Eo-jun: (laughs)
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: So if you put it all out, they tell you to put all the logs too.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: (Laughter) Give me all the logs.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: After putting out all the logs, they asked me to prove that the logs were not manipulated, so they said that there was no way to do it.
▷Kim Eo-jun: (laughs) That's right. That's what disbelief is. usually.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. That's right.
▷Kim Eo-jun: It is a system that eliminates distrust at the source. For example, what if the app is hacked? app.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Even if you hack the app.
Kim Eo-jun: It's useless. Because it is stored on the blockchain.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Anyway, I can check everything.
▷Kim Eo-jun: This is just a passage, because the app cannot touch the blockchain itself that accumulates as a result.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: It's a good technique. Then, other than the online voting you are talking about or the private voting, is there a scope to which this can be applied?
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: What a poll.
▷Kim Eo-jun: Ah~ opinion poll. Ohhh, for the people who downloaded this app.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right. If this is a public opinion poll, now there are many cases of attacking reliability.
▷Kim Eo-jun: That's right.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Then there are cases where people who are not qualified just come in and participate in the poll again.
▷Kim Eo-jun: A lot.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. So what..
▷Kim Eo-Jun: People in their 70s lie about their age by saying they are in their 20s.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. It could be. So, in the private sector, and then in the case of local governments, after making a policy, they want to reflect the opinions of people living in local governments, but there are many cases where people living in strange places come and just cause confusion. So, this year, we are now planning to work with the government to develop a polling platform. I have a plan to apply.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: Government opinion poll.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. For local government use.
▷Kim Eo-jun: Local government public opinion poll. I think it can be applied in many places, but haven't you talked to the NEC?
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: I will go and meet you this afternoon and talk.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: Oh~ I hope it goes well. (Laughter) If this is so technically proven enough that everyone can use it with confidence, the US system will use this, local governments in Korea will use this, and public opinion polls will use this, and then a reality program..
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: That's right.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: With real-time fan voting, I can use this and do that.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. you're right.
▷Kim Eo-Jun: If you do well, you will become rich.
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: (Laughter)
▷Kim Eo-jun: (laugh) I hope this goes well. Voting system I am also very interested in the polling system. Oh, this...
▷Oh Hyun-ok: Contact us and we will try to apply it.
Kim Eo-jun: Please talk to me. (laugh)
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. All right. (laugh)
▷Kim Eo-Jun: Now, we received the Best Innovation Award at CES 2023 for our innovative technology. It was Oh Hyun-ok, CEO of zkrypto. thank you
▷Oh Hyeon-ok: Yes. thank you