SEOUL, South Korea – The Korea Airports Corporation (KAC) has released a mandatory public announcement asking all passengers utilizing its facilities to ensure they have their physical identification documents with them. The warning follows a major fire at the National Information Resources Management Service (NIRMS) on September 26, 2025, which has caused widespread disruptions to critical government administrative services, including the Mobile ID (Mobile Shinbunjeung) service and the Government24 portal.
The KAC, which manages 14 airports nationwide, posted the official notice on its airport websites on September 27. The advisory stated that due to the fire at the NIRMS, "some government electronic services are experiencing failures," making identity verification through Mobile ID and Government24 difficult or impossible.
Essential Identification Requirements for Air Travel
To mitigate the inconvenience and ensure smooth boarding processes, the KAC is urging passengers to either "absolutely carry a physical ID (Resident Registration Card, Passport, or Driver's License)" or utilize the Biopass (biometric information authentication) service for identity checks.
For Adults: Passengers must present a physical form of identification or use the Biopass system. It is important to note that first-time users of the Biopass system will still require a physical ID for the initial registration process.
For Minors: Minors must be prepared with physical identification or necessary printed documents. Alternatively, they can have the original digital files of the required documents saved and readily accessible on a device.
This immediate shift back to physical documents underscores the national reliance on the NIRMS facilities and the fragility of a purely digital identification infrastructure during unexpected crises.
Parking Discounts Affected, Refund Process Detailed
The disruption is not limited to passenger processing. The KAC also confirmed that the automatic application of parking fee discounts for vehicles belonging to persons with disabilities and national merit contributors may be affected.
The issue specifically applies to vehicles that entered the parking lots after 8:20 PM on September 26, the time the NIRMS fire occurred. Affected individuals are advised that the automatic discount may not be applied upon exit. The KAC has directed these individuals to follow the instructions on the airport websites to apply for a post-facto refund of the parking fees.
The KAC continues to monitor the situation closely, and the public is encouraged to check for the latest updates on their respective airport's website before heading to the airport. The temporary requirement for physical IDs is expected to remain in place until the government's digital services are fully restored.
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