The South Korean government has decided to extend the trial period for 'face recognition technology for mobile phone activation' from three months to six months. This decision comes after civil society raised alarms about potential privacy invasions tied to using facial photographs for identity verification. The Ministry of Science and ICT reported that it has taken into account feedback from various sectors, leading to this delay in the formal implementation of the technology that was initially planned to start on the 23rd following a trial period.

Initially rolled out on December 23 last year, the face recognition system was introduced as a part of efforts to eliminate the problem of 'ghost phones,' which are mobile devices fraudulently registered under someone else's name and often used for voice phishing crimes. However, concerns about the appropriateness of utilizing sensitive personal data like facial images for this purpose have been expressed multiple times by social groups. On the 18th, civil society organizations, including the Citizen's Coalition for Economic Justice and Digital Justice Network, held a press conference demanding the scrapping of the mandatory face recognition policy outside the Seoul Government Complex.

In response to the public's feedback, the Ministry is now exploring alternative methods for identity verification, including mobile ID apps, video calls, and other forms of biometric authentication. The Ministry's Information Protection and Network Policy Director, Choi Woo-hyuk, emphasized that while face recognition is viewed as one of the most effective means to prevent identity theft and misuse, the government is committed to minimizing user inconvenience and continuously improving the trusted communication environment as it works toward a balance between security and individual privacy rights.