Human Rights Commission Recommends Reconsidering Mandatory Facial Recognition for Mobile Phone Activation

by Oh Jieun

Published 13 Mar.2026 12:00(KST)

"Biometric Information Is Sensitive Data… Must Be Protected"

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea has recommended that the government reconsider the policy of making facial recognition authentication mandatory for mobile phone activation and provide alternative methods.

Woohyuk Choi, Director of Network Policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, is giving a briefing on facial recognition related to mobile phone activation on December 24 last year at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Cho Yongjun

On March 13, the commission announced that it had advised the Minister of Science and ICT to clearly stipulate the grounds for the collection, use, storage, and destruction of biometric information in related laws, such as the Telecommunications Business Act, if facial recognition authentication is made mandatory during the mobile phone activation process. The commission also recommended introducing alternative means of identity verification in place of facial recognition.

The Ministry of Science and ICT is currently working on introducing facial recognition authentication into the mobile phone activation procedures for the three major telecommunications providers as well as MVNOs, in an effort to prevent financial crimes such as voice phishing that use phones registered under false names. The system began its pilot operation in December last year and is scheduled to be fully implemented starting March 23.

The Human Rights Commission pointed out that biometric information extracted from facial images is sensitive data and, if leaked, is difficult to recover. The commission particularly emphasized the need to fully explain the relevant information to the public before implementing the policy and to transparently release the results of technology safety and security assessments after implementation. It also stressed the necessity of ensuring the right to choose for users such as the elderly or people with disabilities, who may find it difficult or undesirable to provide biometric information.

Furthermore, the commission assessed that, since mobile phones are essential infrastructure for social and economic activities such as financial transactions and access to public services, making facial recognition authentication mandatory in the activation process could affect not only the right to informational self-determination but also fundamental rights such as freedom of communication and freedom of expression.