South Korea pilots facial recognition for phone registrations to combat fraud

South Korea commenced a trial on 23 December 2025 for a new policy requiring real-time facial recognition during mobile phone number registration. The initiative, led by the Ministry of Science and ICT, aims to prevent scams that rely on illegally registered mobile accounts.

All major mobile service providers — SK Telecom, KT Corp, and LG Uplus — along with mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), are included in the pilot. The procedure must be applied both in-person and via non-face-to-face (remote) channels, spanning 64 digital interfaces across 43 companies.

Applicants are now required to authenticate their identity through PASS, an app jointly developed by the three major telecom providers. The app, already widely used by public institutions, performs real-time facial recognition to compare the user’s face with the photograph on their government-issued ID.

The trial period will run for three months. During this time, exceptions will be made for users whose authentication fails. Authorities plan to collect feedback on operational issues and user experience, particularly focusing on delays, technical errors, and difficulties linked to outdated identification documents.

A Science Ministry official noted, “If mobile users use an old ID card, facial recognition may not work smoothly. During the three-month pilot operation period, we plan to check for problems such as user inconveniences and delays in opening.”

Amid growing public concern regarding data privacy, especially related to biometric information, the Ministry has clarified that no biometric data will be stored during the process. Only the authentication result — a binary confirmation of match or mismatch — will be recorded.

According to the Ministry's press release, "The facial recognition technology only compares the ID photo with the actual face of the ID holder. No biometric information used for authentication is stored or retained".

This measure seeks to combat common forms of identity-related fraud, including phone subscriptions obtained using stolen or forged ID cards. The Ministry expects the policy to disrupt techniques that rely on leaked personal data to activate so-called "ghost phones".

Additionally, the verification system is designed to detect whether the ID presented is a physical original or a copy, thereby making it harder to use duplicated or forged IDs in phone activations.

The Ministry plans to legally mandate telecom providers to inform subscribers about the risks of illegally registered phones and strengthen oversight of subscription procedures to prevent fraudulent practices by retailers.

Authorities stress that the current pilot is not the final form of the policy. The Ministry will use insights from the trial period to adjust technical and administrative elements before the full-scale launch scheduled for 23 March 2026.

Government officials also pledged to improve communication with the public to clarify the policy's purpose and security features, reassuring users about the protection of their personal data.