Time to switch to eSIM? South Korea will now make consumers scan their faces to buy a SIM card and cut down on scams

• South Korea adds facial recognition to SIM registration to choke off scam-driven phone numbers
• Stolen personal data has made mobile fraud cheap, and regulators want higher barriers
• Telecom security failures forced government to rethink how phone accounts are approved

South Korea is moving to tighten how new mobile accounts are created by adding facial recognition to the signup process.

A new government post (via The Register) outlined how the change will reduce scams that rely on fraudulently registered phone numbers.

Under the new policy, buyers will still present official identity documents, but they will also complete a facial scan through carrier-backed mobile applications.

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