Resident Registration Card on Your Phone... The Era of 'Mobile Resident Registration Card' Begins in December

December 27 Launch of Mobile Resident Registration Card Service
Legislative Notice of 'Resident Registration Act Enforcement Decree' Detailing Procedures
Anyone Aged 17 and Over Can Obtain a 'Mobile Resident Registration Card'

Starting this December, all citizens aged 17 and older will be able to store their resident registration cards on their mobile phones and use them. The 'mobile resident registration card' will incorporate the latest security technologies such as encryption to prevent forgery and unauthorized use, and it can only be issued on one device registered under the individual's name.

On the 30th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that following the amendment of the 'Resident Registration Act' on December 26 last year, which provides the legal basis for issuing mobile resident registration cards, it will publicly notify the amendment drafts of the 'Enforcement Decree of the Resident Registration Act' and the 'Enforcement Rules of the Resident Registration Act,' which outline detailed administrative procedures.

Example of mobile resident registration card issuance. [Data provided by Seoul City]

The mobile resident registration card can be applied for by individuals who have been issued a physical resident registration card and wish to obtain it. Applicants can apply after identity verification by visiting their local town, township, or neighborhood office, or those who have been issued an IC resident registration card can use the mobile version. The IC resident registration card refers to a resident registration card embedded with an integrated circuit (IC) chip that electronically stores security information necessary for issuing the mobile resident registration card.

For those who apply at the local office, the issuance fee is free; however, if they change their mobile phone, they must visit the resident center to reissue the mobile resident registration card. In the case of the IC resident registration card, even if the mobile phone is changed, the mobile resident registration card can be reissued without visiting the resident center. However, a cost of 5,000 KRW for the IC chip must be borne.

In particular, to promote the spread of the mobile resident registration card, the government has made it so that individuals aged 17 and older who are receiving their resident registration card for the first time can obtain the IC resident registration card free of charge if they wish.

The mobile resident registration card will apply security technologies to prevent unauthorized use. Once a lost phone report is received via the call center or website, the validity of the mobile resident registration card will be immediately suspended, and to protect personal information, the mobile resident registration card will have an expiration date requiring reissuance every three years.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans to collect various opinions from the public and related organizations during the 40-day public notification period starting on the 31st and reflect them in the amendment drafts. Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min stated, "The mobile resident registration card service for all citizens aged 17 and older will be an opportunity to upgrade digital identity verification to the next level," and added, "We will prepare thoroughly so that the public can use it with confidence and strive to make daily life more convenient through the Digital Platform Government."