[Anchor]
Starting today, July 6, activating a mobile phone requires more than just presenting an ID; customers must now undergo additional verification, such as facial recognition. The measure is intended to prevent voice phishing and the use of illicitly obtained phones, but it is also raising concerns in the field.
Reporter Jeong Seong-jin has the story.
[Reporter]
Customers visiting a store to activate a mobile phone are now asked to take a photo of their face with their phone.
[LG Uplus Staff: We have added a facial recognition step for activation, so I need to ask you to do this.]
While mobile phone activation previously only required presenting an ID, starting today, customers must undergo additional identity verification through one of three methods: facial recognition, a mobile ID, or a resident registration abstract issued on the same day.
For facial recognition, customers scan a QR code for activation, which leads to a verification page. They then take a photo of their face, which is compared against the scanned image from their submitted ID.
This measure is designed to block illegal activations through identity theft, thereby curbing the distribution of illicit phones and voice phishing crimes.
However, concerns regarding personal data leaks, which were raised during the pilot phase of the facial recognition system, still persist.
[Lee Chang-min / Jung-gu, Seoul: There have been many personal data breach incidents recently, such as at Coupang or TVING. I think this should have been introduced only after measures were in place to properly secure and protect personal information.]
The Ministry of Science and ICT stated that the photos taken are immediately encrypted and destroyed after being compared with the ID, keeping the risk of leaks low. However, the Personal Information Protection Commission and the National Human Rights Commission of Korea have also pointed out that strict protection is necessary, as biometric information is difficult to recover if leaked.
[Yeom Heung-yeol / Professor Emeritus, Department of Information Security, Soonchunhyang University: While I believe the possibility of a successful hack is very low, biometric information cannot be changed, so the government needs to pay extra attention to security.]
Civic groups argue that the alternative methods, such as the resident registration abstract, are impractical as they require visiting a community service center, effectively forcing users to choose facial recognition.
The government plans to add and expand alternative verification methods, taking convenience into account.
Reported by Park Hyun-chul | Video by Choi Hye-ran | Graphics by Jeon Yu-geun | Produced by SBS Digital News
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