The Era of 'Mobile Resident Registration Card' Has Begun! ... Lee Gangdeok, Mayor of Pohang, Promotes Mobile ID Issuance

Gradual Nationwide Expansion...
Same Legal Effect as the Physical Resident Registration Card
Two Issuance Methods Available:
QR Code and IC Chip-Embedded Resident Registration Cards

Mayor Lee Gang-deok of Pohang visited the Ocheon-eup Administrative Welfare Center on the 17th and received a mobile resident registration card using a QR code.

Mayor Lee Gang-deok of Pohang visited the Ocheon-eup Administrative Welfare Center on the 17th and issued a mobile resident registration card using a QR code. Photo by Pohang City

The issuance of mobile resident registration cards is scheduled to be gradually expanded nationwide in three stages, with the first stage having started on the 14th in nine cities and provinces across the country, including Gyeongbuk.

After receiving the mobile resident registration card, Mayor Lee experienced the convenience of the enhanced digital civil service administration and listened to the difficulties faced by civil service workers on site.

The mobile resident registration card has the same legal effect as the physical resident registration card, and once expanded nationwide on March 28, it can be issued anywhere regardless of the address.

Until the expansion, applicants must visit the administrative welfare center of their registered residence with their physical resident registration card to apply.

There are two issuance methods: “issuance via QR code” and “issuance of a resident registration card embedded with an IC chip.” Issuance using the QR code is free of charge and valid for three years.

If you want to be issued a resident registration card embedded with an IC chip, a fee of 10,000 KRW will be charged, including the reissuance fee and the IC chip cost. However, new applicants aged 17 or older who are receiving their resident registration card for the first time this year and prefer the IC resident registration card method can receive it free of charge.

Also, if you use the QR code issuance method, you must visit the administrative welfare center again if you change your smartphone or delete the app. However, with the IC resident registration card, you only need to recognize it on your smartphone, so even if you change your smartphone due to loss or repurchase, you can reissue the mobile resident registration card through the app without visiting the administrative welfare center.

Mayor Lee Gang-deok said, “The introduction of the mobile resident registration card is expected to reduce the inconvenience of carrying a physical resident registration card and improve convenience by enabling easy identity verification,” and added, “We ask for citizens’ great interest in the provision of digital civil service administration.”