South Korea has launched a pilot programme requiring real-time facial recognition for individuals registering new mobile phone numbers, as the government steps up efforts to combat scams linked to illegally obtained or falsely registered accounts. The trial phase began this week and will precede a nationwide rollout planned for March.
Under the new framework, all major telecom operators—including SK Telecom, KT Corp., and LG Uplus—along with mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), are required to implement the verification process for both in-store and remote subscriptions.
Customers applying for a new number must complete a facial scan using PASS, a digital identification app jointly developed by the three carriers and widely used across public and private services in the country. The system performs a live check to confirm that the applicant’s face matches the photograph on their official identity document, helping prevent the misuse of stolen, forged, or synthetic identities.
Responding to privacy concerns, government officials emphasized that biometric data is not retained. Facial information is used only momentarily for verification and is discarded immediately after the identity check is completed.
Alongside the pilot, authorities are preparing legal amendments to tighten oversight of mobile subscriptions. Proposed measures include mandating telecom operators to warn customers about the risks of being implicated in crimes involving illegally registered phones, and imposing stricter accountability on retailers to prevent fraudulent activations.
The initiative reflects South Korea’s broader strategy to strengthen digital identity controls amid rising online fraud and phone-based scams. Officials say insights from the trial will be used to refine safeguards and operational standards before the policy is enforced nationwide.
