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<About Kori Protocol>

Building the Trust Layer for Global Travel.

Kori Protocol is a Seoul-based travel technology startup building the trust and settlement infrastructure for global, local-first travel experiences. Our mission is to make local knowledge verifiable, reputation-based, and economically sustainable—without relying on ads, opaque platforms, or unsafe peer-to-peer coordination.

We build digital-native tools that allow travelers to access reliable local information, and locals to earn from sharing their knowledge in a safe, professional, and transparent way.

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The Problem

Modern travel is broken.

Travelers rely on outdated blogs, unverified chat groups, and fragmented map services, often falling into tourist traps or unsafe interactions. At the same time, locals with valuable knowledge—students, bilingual residents, small business owners, and guides—have no reliable way to monetize their expertise without working for large agencies or platforms that extract value.

Trust, verification, and fair settlement are missing layers in today’s travel stack.

Our Solution:

A Dual-Layer System

Kori Protocol is building a dual-layer ecosystem consisting of infrastructure rails and a consumer application.

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1. Kori Protocol (Infrastructure Layer)

Kori Protocol is the underlying trust and settlement layer that handles:

  • Identity and reputation

  • Information verification

  • Peer-to-peer escrow and payments

  • Smart contract–based reward distribution

This layer is invisible to most users and is designed to support safe, low-friction transactions between travelers and locals.

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2. Kotour (Consumer App – Alpha)

Kotour is the first proof-of-concept application built on Kori Protocol.

Kotour is a mobile app where travelers and locals interact inside themed group chats (e.g. food, neighborhoods, hiking), share verified local knowledge, and optionally coordinate paid micro-experiences such as short walks, food recommendations, or in-person guidance.

How It Works

Share & Earn (Reputation-First)

Kotour uses a dual-token system, designed explicitly to be non-speculative:

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C Tokens (Reputation Tokens)

  • Non-crypto, non-cash-out

  • Earned when users contribute verified information or when others engage with shared business pages

  • Represent reputation, contribution, and trust within the platform

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K Tokens (Payment Tokens)

  • Used for tipping, deposits, and optional in-person guidance

  • Can be purchased by users to compensate locals

  • Settled through on-chain escrow rails for transparency and low fees

C Tokens cannot be cashed out and function purely as a reputation and contribution signal. This design keeps the system compliant and user-focused.

Verified Local Information 

(Google API + AI)

⚙️

When users reference locations using hashtags (e.g. #kkanbugangnam) inside chat,
our AI generates a structured business page using Google Maps data.

🤏🏼

Locals and users collaboratively verify and refine details such as:

  • Opening hours

  • Address and directions

  • Menus and pricing

  • Break times and local rules

This is critical in Korea, where Google Maps and local map services often differ or contain outdated information.

Two-Tier Verification System

(On-chain rail)

To ensure trust and safety, Kotour supports two levels of verification, both rewarded via smart contracts:

​👀

Information Verification

Cross-checking map data and business details against real-world observations

🍽️

Dual-Signed Verification

(DePIN-Aligned Trust Layer)

Dual-Signed Verification, a decentralized trust primitive where real-world experiences are confirmed by two independent human actors—each with aligned but non-identical incentives.

  • Verification is produced at the edge (real locations, real presence)

  • Humans act as independent verifiers, not content generators

  • Trust emerges from coordination, not centralized moderation

Only when both confirmations are present does an experience become verified, triggering C-token reputation rewards through predefined smart-contract logic.

Peer-to-Peer Escrow & Payments

(On-chain rail)

Kotour supports optional payments using K Tokens through an on-chain escrow system:

💰🫱🏻‍🫲🏽

  • Tips between users (K tokens)

  • Deposits for in-person meetings (to prevent no-shows; K tokens)

  • Automatic release upon completion (GPS handshake)

This ensures safety for both travelers and locals while keeping transaction costs low.

Target Audience

Supply (Locals in Korea)

  • University students with English proficiency

  • Koreans returning from abroad

  • Bilingual hobbyists and informal translators

  • Licensed guides and small business owners

Demand (Global)

  • Inbound travelers to Korea seeking authentic, safe experiences

  • English-speaking K-culture fans worldwide

  • Independent travelers looking beyond traditional tour agencies

Development Stage

  • Current Status: Pre-Seed / High-Fidelity Alpha

  • UX/UI architecture finalized

  • AI + Google API integration in progress

  • Smart contract and escrow logic under development

  • First in-person alpha cohort onboarding in Seoul

Public demos and prototype videos are available on this site.

Team

Kori Protocol is built by a multidisciplinary team with experience in:

  • Consumer product design

  • Blockchain infrastructure

  • AI-assisted data systems

  • Global business and partnerships

Blockchain & Protocol Layer

(For Developers & Partners)

🔗

Kori Protocol uses blockchain selectively as a settlement and verification layer where trust and finality are required.

📱

On-chain components include:

  • Smart contracts for peer-to-peer escrow and conditional release

  • Reward distribution for verified information and in-person verification

  • Proof-of-meeting signals linked to GPS-based events

The consumer experience remains non-crypto by default. Users are not required to manage wallets or understand blockchain mechanics to participate.

Kori Protocol is designed to be chain-compatible, with current development targeting low-fee, high-throughput environments.

Disclaimer

Kori Protocol is an early-stage technology project. Product features, timelines, and descriptions presented on this site are for informational purposes only and reflect ongoing development.

All materials are provided to promote transparency during the build phase and do not constitute an offer, solicitation, or investment promise of any kind.

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