Register Entry by Phone Without QR Code or Manual Logbook

QR Code Difficult for Digital Vulnerable Groups
Concerns Over Personal Information Leakage from Manual Registers
Using 6-Digit Phone Numbers Starting with 14
Instead of Entry Registration... Ministry of Science and ICT Introduces

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] In the future, when visiting stores, shops, government offices, and other multi-use facilities, a system will be established that allows visitors to record their visit with a free phone call instead of scanning a QR code or writing in a manual logbook.

On the 25th, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that it will support a system where citizens can automatically register their entry by calling a short 6-digit 14 representative number (14XXXX) when visiting multi-use facilities.

Currently, when visiting multi-use facilities, visitor lists must be managed for COVID-19 prevention. QR codes or manual logbooks are mainly used. However, there are digitally vulnerable groups such as elderly people who are not familiar with QR codes, and manual logbooks also raise concerns about personal information leakage.

For these reasons, a phone number-based entry log system is used, where visitors call a specific number to record their visit and visit time. General landline numbers (9-11 digits, caller pays) and 080 numbers (10 digits) are currently in use. The 14XXXX number is a recipient-pays (free) 6-digit representative number. Unlike general landline numbers, calls are free of charge. Compared to the free 080 number, it has fewer digits (6 digits), making it easier for citizens to use.

If the number is used for COVID-19 entry logs, citizens can easily register their entry by dialing only the 6-digit number without any call charges. However, since there are about 9,000 available 14XXXX numbers, usage will be focused on places frequently visited by digitally vulnerable groups, and the applicants will be limited to local governments (cities/provinces, cities/counties/districts).

After the end of COVID-19, the government plans to allow local governments to use the recipient-pays 14XXXX numbers as representative phone numbers for civil service consultations, thereby reducing citizens' communication expenses. A Ministry of Science and ICT official stated, “We expect that digitally vulnerable groups will be able to use the free 14XXXX number more easily for COVID-19 entry logs.”