Red Hat has announced the winners of its 2025 APAC Innovation Awards for Korea, recognizing organizations that have used open source technologies to drive innovation and transformation. This year’s recipients are the Korea Financial Telecommunication & Clearing Institute (KFTC) and the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRDK).
The awards highlight how companies in the region are using Red Hat’s open source solutions to achieve results such as improved competitiveness and long-term value for their industries. The program covers five categories: Digital Transformation, Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure, Cloud-native Development, Automation, and a new category focused on AI and Emerging Technologies.
KFTC was recognized in the Digital Transformation and Cloud-Native Development category. As a major provider of payment services across Korea’s financial sector, KFTC modernized its legacy infrastructure by moving key services to a cloud-native, container-based architecture using Red Hat OpenShift Platform Plus. This change allowed KFTC to streamline operations, reduce reliance on older systems, deliver services more quickly, and support greater stability within Korea’s financial network.
HRDK received honors in the Digital Transformation and Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure category. HRDK is responsible for advancing vocational skills and national technical qualifications under the Ministry of Employment and Labor. To address growing demands for detailed qualification data and increased security needs due to aging systems, HRDK adopted Red Hat solutions to build a hybrid cloud-ready platform. The new system improves application processes, reliability, security, compliance, and provides big data capabilities for personalized feedback to learners. These updates aim to restore trust in national qualifications while supporting innovative public services for workforce development.
Marjet Andriesse, senior vice president and general manager for APJC at Red Hat said: “The pace of change in Asia Pacific shows no signs of slowing, especially as AI becomes a core driver of business transformation. Despite these demands, our customers have delivered remarkable results, showing that innovation thrives when paired with open source. The Red Hat APAC Innovation Awards 2025 are an opportune time to recognize and celebrate these achievements, highlighting how our customers are unlocking what’s next and shaping a future defined by creativity, resilience, and impact.”
Ho Kwon Choi, Team Leader at HRDK added: “Digital transformation of the national qualification Information service was essential to provide faster, more reliable, and easily accessible services for the people and businesses of Korea. Through Red Hat’s open hybrid cloud technology and consulting expertise, HRDK has enhanced the efficiency of its qualification services, strengthened security and compliance, and enabled the delivery of personalized information for both exam applicants and certificate holders. The newly launched cloud-based next-generation Q-Net not only enhances the credibility of the national qualification system but also establishes a future-oriented platform that supports the development of Korean talent and their professional certification.”
The awards were presented during Red Hat APAC Summit: Connect, which celebrates regional achievements in open source innovation.
