With Mobile ID, Buy Beer and Watch R-rated Movies with Just Your Face

Mobile Service Private Opening Event Held on the 23rd
Toss, KakaoBank, and Naver Demonstrate Their Services
"Innovative Services Will Emerge When Private Ideas Are Combined"

"I received a wine gift from Kim OO. When I clicked 'Receive Gift,' it asked for an ID. In this case, you can easily verify your age using a mobile ID."

On the 23rd, at the 'Mobile ID Private Opening Event' held in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, a demonstration showcased how mobile ID services can be used in everyday life. At a convenience store visited to pick up alcohol received as a gift via a mobile messenger, the user opened the mobile ID issued through the KakaoBank app and quickly completed age verification through facial recognition. It was possible to conveniently receive the gift without a physical ID.

On the afternoon of the 23rd, at Anderson's Seongsu New Building located in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, representatives of private companies participating in the mobile ID private opening, including Yoon Hojung, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, held an opening ceremony. Provided by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety

The government-issued mobile ID has now been opened to six private apps. Previously, it was only available through the 'Korea Mobile ID App' and Samsung Wallet, which was opened last year. With this expansion, Samsung smartphone users can now use mobile IDs in the KB Star Banking, Naver, NH All One Bank, Toss, and KakaoBank apps. iPhone users will be able to use the KB Star Banking, Naver, and NH All One Bank apps in the future.

The reason for opening mobile IDs to the private sector is the expectation that private companies will be able to utilize a reliable digital identity authentication method, leading to the creation of more innovative services. At the event, Yoon Hojung, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, said, "When the creative ideas and technological capabilities of private companies are combined with the powerful foundation of mobile IDs, we will see the emergence of convenient and useful services beyond our imagination."

There were also companies that introduced new services combining mobile IDs with payment methods. Lee Seunggun, CEO of Viva Republica (Toss), personally demonstrated the service at a booth modeled after a movie theater ticket counter. By registering a mobile ID in the Toss app, users can use 'Face Pay' to make payments through facial recognition, allowing for both age verification and payment at once without presenting a physical ID. Lee said, "If there is discount information for national merit holders, it is automatically applied. This makes it easier for staff at the counter, and customers do not have to make extra efforts to receive discounts." Minister Yoon responded, "This could help prevent small business owners from being suspended from business operations." In addition, at the booths of KB Kookmin Bank, NongHyup, Samsung Wallet, and Naver, services such as hospital reservations and bank consultations using mobile IDs were introduced.

Lee Seunggun, CEO of Viva Republica (Toss), is demonstrating the mobile ID utilization service to Yoon Hojung, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Photo by Kim Youngwon

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety emphasized that mobile IDs are safe from security threats such as hacking and forgery. Mobile IDs are stored in encrypted form within the secure area of the user's device and are not separately stored on a central server, so even if a data center is hacked, the ID information remains securely protected. Even if the device is lost, mobile IDs cannot be used without biometric authentication or the app password, making them less susceptible to misuse than physical IDs. In a promotional video, Park Byungjoo, a manager at Korea Minting, Security Printing & ID Card Operating Corporation, stated, "Mobile IDs are even safer because they use blockchain-based decentralized identity technology, making forgery impossible."

The Ministry also stressed that recent incidents involving minors caught using forged or recorded screens of 'mobile IDs' at accommodations and convenience stores involved separate private mobile identity verification services, not the government's mobile ID. A ministry official said, "We have sent several official letters to those companies pointing out that their service is not a mobile ID, but it seems they are using the term for marketing purposes. There have been no cases of forgery involving the government's mobile ID so far, and we are continuing to monitor the situation."

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