(C) Green Interior 

The South Korean government has announced the pilot launch of a facial recognition system for new mobile phone activations, effective tomorrow. This mandatory identity verification process aims to fundamentally block the creation of "mule phones"—mobile lines registered under stolen or fake identities—which serve as a primary tool for voice phishing syndicates.

Strengthening Identity Verification

According to the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) on December 22, the country’s three major mobile carriers (SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus) and several Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), commonly known as budget phone providers, will integrate facial authentication into their subscription processes starting December 23.

The system is designed to add an extra layer of security by cross-referencing the face of the applicant with the photograph on their submitted government-issued ID. While the pilot program begins this week, the government plans to make the system mandatory across the entire industry by March 23, 2026.

Privacy and Technology

The authentication process will be facilitated through the "PASS" application, a joint identity verification platform operated by the three major carriers. To address potential privacy concerns, the ministry clarified that the system is designed only to verify identity in real-time.

"Once the match between the ID photo and the applicant is confirmed, the system only records the result of the verification. No facial biometric data or images are permanently stored or archived within the PASS app or the providers' management systems," a ministry official stated.

Combating a 1-Trillion Won Crime Wave

This heightened security measure follows a record-breaking year for financial fraud. Data from the National Police Agency reveals that as of November 2025, voice phishing cases reached approximately 21,500 incidents. For the first time in history, the total financial damage has surpassed 1 trillion KRW (approximately $750 million USD).

Investigations have shown that a vast majority of these crimes are facilitated by "mule phones" obtained through budget phone providers (MVNOs), where identity verification has historically been less stringent than at major carriers. By implementing facial recognition, the government hopes to dismantle the infrastructure used by overseas criminal organizations to target South Korean citizens.

South Korea follows the lead of other nations that have tightened telecommunications security. Notably, China has mandated facial scans for all new mobile phone users since December 2019 to combat telecommunications fraud and enhance social management.

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