"Resident Registration Cards Usable at Branches"... Financial Sector Turmoil Calms Down

Financial Sector Turmoil Eases After National Information Resources Service Fire
Non-Face-to-Face Use of Resident Registration Cards Still Unavailable; Driver's License or Passport Can Be Used Instead
Resident Registration Cards Usable at Bank Branches; Non-Face-to-Face Loans and Other Services Resume

On the 29th, as damage such as paralysis of the financial network continues due to a fire in the Data Center of the National Information Resources Service, citizens using ATM machines at commercial banks are showing a quiet scene with no users. 2025.09.29 Photo by Yoon Dongju

Although the fire at the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) data center caused paralysis of the financial network, the restoration of some systems has helped calm the initial turmoil in the financial sector. While it is still impossible to verify resident registration cards through non-face-to-face channels, alternative methods such as driver's licenses or passports are being provided, and resident registration cards can still be used when visiting bank branches, so confusion at physical locations remains limited.

Public MyData services have also been restored, allowing customers to use financial services such as loans or account openings without submitting additional documents. However, since the financial system has not yet been fully normalized, the government and the financial sector plan to hold additional response meetings to minimize inconvenience for financial consumers.

According to the financial sector on September 30, as systems have been sequentially restored following the NIRS fire, most financial services that had experienced disruptions have now returned to normal. Currently, only services that require resident registration card authenticity verification remain restricted.

The Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service announced that with the restoration of the administrative information automatic linkage service (Public MyData), which is necessary for financial transactions, most financial services, including loan applications, can now be processed without the need for additional documents. Postal financial services have also been normalized, making account transfers and remittances available again.

However, non-face-to-face financial services related to resident registration card authenticity verification are still experiencing disruptions. It is not possible to use resident registration cards for non-face-to-face account openings, mobile OTP (one-time password) issuance, account password changes, transfer limit increases, or simple certificate issuance through online channels. Authorities explained that alternative identification methods such as driver's licenses, passports, already issued mobile identification cards, or alien registration cards can be used instead of resident registration cards.

If only a resident registration card is available, authenticity can still be verified by visiting a bank branch, where the Government24 system or the 1382 (Ministry of the Interior and Safety resident registration card authenticity verification ARS service) can be used.

A notice regarding the fire at the National Intelligence Resources Management Agency (NIRA) data center is posted at a commercial bank in Seoul. 2025.09.29 Photo by Yoon Dongju

With the restoration of key government systems required for banking operations, confusion at bank branches has significantly decreased. Until the morning of the previous day, some bank customers who had not been informed that resident registration cards could not be used experienced inconvenience, but as the system stabilized in the afternoon, the situation calmed down. A representative of a commercial bank stated, "There were inconveniences at some branches yesterday, such as longer wait times, but now most operations have returned to normal. We are continuously monitoring the situation to prevent further inconvenience for customers."

Internet-only banks, which suffered greater damage due to the lack of physical branches, have also fully normalized all loan operations. Although some services, such as mortgage loans and loans for individual business owners, were suspended due to the fire, the restoration of the Public MyData system has allowed major operations to resume. A representative from an internet-only bank explained, "Major operations, including loans, are now proceeding normally."

Financial authorities plan to continue holding response meetings until services are fully restored to minimize inconvenience for financial consumers. Under the leadership of the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, major organizations in the financial sector have already held three emergency response meetings and plan to hold additional meetings to discuss countermeasures. A financial authority official stated, "Most financial services that were of concern have now returned to normal, but since the system has not been fully restored, we will continue to develop response measures."