Road Traffic Authority, First Public Institution to Introduce 'Mobile Driver's License Verification Service'

Yoon Jong-gi, President of the Korea Road Traffic Authority (center), is taking a photo to commemorate the first public institution adoption of the 'PASS Mobile Driver's License Verification Service.' / Photo by Korea Road Traffic Authority

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The Korea Road Traffic Authority announced on the 1st that it will be the first public institution in Korea to introduce the 'Mobile Driver's License Verification Service.'

With this introduction, at 27 driver's license examination centers nationwide, civil service tasks such as reissuing driver's licenses and issuing international driver's licenses can be conducted using the Mobile Driver's License Verification Service instead of a physical ID card.

This service, developed jointly by the Authority, the three major mobile carriers, and the National Police Agency, is the first domestic service to digitize an official ID and grant it legal validity. Last September, it obtained temporary regulatory approval for the Mobile Driver's License Verification Service through the ICT Regulatory Sandbox of the Ministry of Science and ICT, securing its legal effect.

To use the service, users must download the 'PASS' app, the integrated authentication service brand of the three mobile carriers, then photograph and upload their physical driver's license. After verifying authenticity through device identification, possession authentication, and the Authority and Police Agency's driver's license systems, it is registered.

Registration is possible only on one smartphone under the user's name through a single mobile carrier. After a certain period, the QR code and barcode are reset, and the screen is designed to be dynamic with capture prevention technology applied to prevent misuse.

Additionally, the basic screen only displays the name, photo, and authentication QR code barcode, protecting personal information by not exposing details such as date of birth or address.

An official from the Authority stated, “Through the commercialization of the Mobile Driver's License Verification Service, we can provide convenience to civil petitioners visiting driver's license examination centers by enabling identity verification without carrying a physical ID card,” adding, “We will continue to strive to develop services for the benefit of the public.”