Disabled Persons and Meritorious Individuals Can Use Highway Hi-Pass Without Fingerprint Scanning

Photo by Asia Economy

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korea Expressway Corporation announced on the 15th that they will pilot a system starting from the 16th that allows people with disabilities and veterans to receive highway toll discounts by inserting an integrated welfare card into a 'general Hi-Pass device.'

Until now, to receive toll discounts at Hi-Pass lanes, people with disabilities and veterans had to use a 'discount Hi-Pass device' equipped with a fingerprint scanner to verify the presence of the driver.

After purchasing the discount Hi-Pass device, users had to visit administrative welfare centers or veterans affairs offices to register their fingerprints, and fingerprint authentication was required when passing through the Hi-Pass lane and restarting the vehicle.

However, for those without fingerprints, or for infants and people with brain lesions or other disabilities, the process of registering or authenticating fingerprints was complicated, causing difficulties in receiving toll discounts.

The newly introduced discount method using the general Hi-Pass device and integrated welfare card verifies the presence of the driver by checking the location of the mobile phone with prior individual consent, instead of inconvenient biometric (fingerprint) authentication. To protect personal information, the mobile phone location is checked only at the Hi-Pass exit, not along the entire route, and location information is deleted after toll payment.

Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

Accordingly, people with disabilities and veterans can receive toll discounts using the 'general Hi-Pass device' built into new vehicles, eliminating the inconvenience of having to purchase a separate 'discount Hi-Pass device.'

The pilot operation will run for two months starting August 16, and those interested can participate by visiting Korea Expressway Corporation service centers, administrative welfare centers, veterans affairs offices, or applying online through the highway toll website from August 16.

Jang Sun-jae, Director of the Road Policy Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We expect that improving the Hi-Pass discount method will greatly alleviate the inconveniences experienced by people with disabilities and veterans. After the pilot operation to stabilize the system, we will promptly expand it to nationwide highway routes."