Korea extends facial-recognition SIM registration pilot

South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT has extended its pilot programme for using facial recognition to verify mobile users’ identities when registering SIM cards, pushing the trial to the end of June. The ministry said it wanted to reduce disruption and give operators more time to settle working procedures after consultation with SK Telecom, KT, LG Uplus, the Budget Mobile Phone Association and the Mobile Telecommunications Distribution Association.

Industry groups asked for at least three more months to write clear on-site guidelines, avoid confusion, and plan support for older people, disabled users and others who struggle with digital services. The ministry is weighing backup options alongside facial recognition, including PINs in the government mobile ID app, video call checks by staff, fingerprints or iris scans, and bank account verification. The pilot, which began in late December 2025, uses facial recognition in physical stores run by the three major operators and in remote channels used by budget handset providers.