South Koreans will be able to issue and use mobile IDs through up to 12 applications starting next year.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced Monday that Samsung Card has been selected as a participating company in the 2026 mobile ID private sector expansion program. The ministry conducted a public call for applications from March 24 to April 22, then formed a selection committee of seven security and authentication experts to evaluate candidates. The committee chose Samsung Card after a comprehensive assessment of security level, personal information protection measures, service reliability, incident response systems and activation plans.
Samsung Card has begun building the system to integrate mobile IDs into its app "Monimo." The service will be officially launched after passing a suitability evaluation by an assessment agency.
Currently, apps participating in the mobile ID private sector program include Samsung Electronics (005930.KS), Kookmin Bank, Naver (035420.KS), Nonghyup Bank, Toss and KakaoBank (323410.KS). Starting in October this year, apps from Woori Bank, Hana Bank, Shinhan Bank and the Industrial Bank of Korea will begin service, and with the addition of Samsung Card's Monimo, the total number of apps available for use will rise to 12 next year. Citizens will be able to select their frequently used app to issue and use a mobile ID.
"We will prioritize protecting citizens' valuable information and create an environment where anyone can use mobile IDs safely and conveniently," said Hwang Kyu-chul, head of the AI Government Office at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
