The government sharply raised the barriers to mobile phone activation starting Friday. To sign up for new service or switch carriers, presenting an ID card alone is no longer sufficient. Users must now pass an additional verification through one of three methods: facial recognition, a mobile ID card issued by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, or a same-day resident registration abstract. The change adds an extra identity-verification gate to the previous system, where a single ID card was enough.
According to the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), the three major mobile carriers and budget phone operators introduced this multi-factor authentication across all online and offline channels beginning that day. The target is identity theft. Because "burner phones" secretly activated using others' IDs have served as a channel for voice phishing, the plan aims to filter out identity fraud at the first stage of activation, cutting off both the funding source and the means of contact for criminals. The reality that mobile phones are used as a key for identity verification across financial transactions and online services also contributed to the reinforcement. However, device changes—swapping only the handset within the same carrier—are excluded from the requirement.
The issue is convenience. As the number of gates increases, the flow at activation counters slows accordingly. Facial recognition may not pass in one attempt if lighting or recognition conditions are poor, and a mobile ID card cannot be used on the spot unless issued in advance. A resident registration abstract must also be obtained the same day, meaning users who visit stores unprepared may have to turn back. This is why observers say confusion from authentication failures and missing documents is inevitable in the early stage of implementation.
The MSIT says it will not stop here. The ministry plans to add more identity-verification methods, link a system for verifying the authenticity of resident registration abstracts by the second half of this year, and revise related laws and regulations. It also intends to tighten management of distribution networks that have turned a blind eye to fraudulent activations, raising trust across the entire activation process.
