KFTC: "Board Planes Using Bank Biometric Data Without ID Cards"

Bio-authentication Service Processing Process. Photo by Korea Financial Telecommunications and Clearings Institute

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-seop] It is expected that boarding airplanes using biometric authentication services will become possible.

On the 17th, the Korea Financial Telecommunications & Clearings Institute (KFTC), Korea Airports Corporation, and NH Nonghyup Bank announced a pilot project that allows boarding domestic flights at airports without an ID card by using biometric information (palm vein) registered with financial companies. This is the first time biometric authentication services are applied to non-financial sectors in Korea.

At unmanned speed gates inside the airport, passengers can pass through by having their boarding pass, QR code, and palm vein recognized by sensors, which is verified through KFTC’s distributed biometric information management service.

The distributed biometric information management service manages customers’ biometric data in a distributed manner between financial companies and KFTC. Once registered with one financial company, it can be used with other financial companies as well. Currently, it is used for financial transactions at bank counters, ATMs, and kiosks without the need for ID cards or credit cards.

Initially, only NH Nonghyup Bank customers can use the service at three domestic airports (Gimpo, Jeju, Gimhae). KFTC plans to expand the service to customers of other financial companies at all airports (14 in total) within this year. Furthermore, it plans to extend the service to non-financial transactions such as payments and distribution outside airports in the future.

KFTC emphasized, “We will lead the paradigm of future non-face-to-face identity verification services together with financial companies to provide differentiated value and experience to customers.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.