South Korea to begin trial of digital national ID

South Korea’s national ID is about to get more digital.

Citizens of the country aged 17 and older will soon be able to store their resident registration cards on their smartphones, in a trial that begins January 3. It’s a milestone moment as South Korea shifts from the traditional physical system introduced in 1968.

The program will be piloted in nine regions across the country, with the Ministry of Interior and Safety evaluating the system’s stability before expanding the program nationwide by March. The ministry said these new “mobile IDs” use blockchain and encryption to keep personal information safe and to avoid fraud.

This is the fourth type of mobile identification card to be issued by the South Korean government, following the mobile driver’s license, the national veterans’ registration card, and the overseas Korean identification card, which were all introduced in 2021.

The nine regions included in the pilot are Sejong city, HongCheon County in Gangwon province, Goyang city in Gyeonggi province, Geochang county in South Gyeongsang province, Seo-gu district in Daejeon, Gunwi county in Daegu, Ulju county in Ulsan, Yeosu city, and Yeongnam county in South Jeolla province.

Residents in these areas can apply for their mobile ID by visiting their local administrative office to receive an IC-enabled resident registration card, which replaces the physical card. They can then scan the IC card or a QR code using a smartphone to activate the digital ID.

The Korean Immigration Service said a mobile version of the Foreign Residence Card will be rolled out sometime this year, according to KBS World.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital ID  |  identity management  |  mobile biometrics  |  national ID  |  South Korea