"Verification of Vaccination Possible by Back of Hand"… Epidemic Prevention Pass Chip Implanted in Skin Also Released

"Not a Scary Surveillance Technology... Just a Simple ID Card"

An Epicenter official is holding a rice grain-sized microchip.
Photo by SCMP video capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] A microchip-type COVID-19 vaccination pass that can be implanted under the skin on the arm or hand has been released in Sweden.

According to AFP on the 22nd (local time), Swedish medical device developer DSruptive Subdermals recently developed a vaccination pass in the form of a chip implanted under the skin.

This technology involves implanting a chip in the arm or other area and updating vaccination information on the chip. When a smartphone is brought near the chip, the vaccination certificate appears on the screen.

The cost of implanting the chip is about 100 euros (approximately 135,000 KRW), and once implanted, it can be used for 30 to 40 years.

Hannes Hoblard, director of DSruptive Subdermals, explained, "Many people perceive chip implantation as a kind of frightening surveillance technology, but that is a misconception," adding, "The chip is simply an ID card."

Regarding concerns that personal information stored on the chip could be misused for surveillance and control, he dismissed them by saying, "This technology has no battery and cannot transmit signals on its own, so it can never track the user's location."

Meanwhile, it has been reported that in Sweden, cases of implanting chips under the skin to store business cards, transportation cards, and more have significantly increased in recent years.