South Korea to mandate face biometrics for new mobile numbers by 2026

South Korea is joining a growing number of Asian countries that require face biometrics for new mobile phone numbers.

The country’s Ministry of Science and ICT announced a mandatory biometric step will be introduced, which targets the use of illegally registered phones in voice phishing and identity theft schemes.

The measure means South Korea’s three major mobile operators — SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus — as well as mobile virtual network operators, must verify that a customer’s face matches the photograph on their government‑issued ID in real time before activating a new number.

“By comparing the photo on an identification card with the holder’s actual face on a real-time basis, we can fully prevent the activation of phones registered under a false name using stolen or fabricated IDs,” the ministry said in a release, according to The Korea Times.

Authorities say the additional biometric layer is designed to block phones opened under stolen or forged identities, a common tactic in telecom‑enabled fraud. A pilot phase begins next week, with full nationwide implementation scheduled for March 2026.

The policy follows a broader anti‑phishing package unveiled in August, which included tougher penalties for carriers that fail to implement adequate fraud prevention controls. Officials added that the requirement will make it significantly harder for scammers to activate new devices using personal information harvested through hacking or data breaches.

Voice phishing remains a major criminal threat in South Korea. As of November, police recorded 21,588 cases this year, with losses reaching 1.13 trillion won (US$760 million), which is the first time damages have exceeded 1 trillion won.

The biometric implementation comes as Indonesia announced a six-month pilot for face biometrics when registering SIM cards. New customers in Indonesia will have to register either with their National Identification Number (NIK) or via facial biometric verification. Following the pilot, mandatory biometric verification will come into force from July 1, 2026.

Thailand has brought in stronger identity verification measures across mobile networks. It follows an August order for mobile operators in the country to implement biometric liveness detection technology for SIM card registration.

Meanwhile, neighboring Malaysia has plans for telcos to establish a federated identity network to service businesses. It would involve the launch of a Number Verification API that banks and online retailers can integrate to authenticate customers based on their mobile number. All three countries’ initiatives are designed to combat the scourge of fraud and scam activity, which has risen across the region.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital identity  |  face biometrics  |  identity verification  |  SIM card registration  |  South Korea