Quick access to main page (top) Direct access to main contents Quick access to main page (bottom)

No More Korean Phone Needed: New Way for Expats to Access Digital Services

Daniel Kim Views  

Translation result.

Issuing Certificates via Overseas Mobile Phones and E-passports
Eliminates the Need to Keep a Korean Phone or Visit Overseas Missions

Simple From now on, Koreans living abroad will be able to authenticate on public websites using an Overseas Korean Certificate without a domestic mobile phone. The move aims to improve access to digital public services for overseas Koreans.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Overseas Koreans Office announced on the 6th that they have built a system that issues identity certificates using overseas phone numbers and e-passports.

About 2.4 million Koreans living abroad have faced inconvenience because public website authentication was only available through domestic carriers, and issuing joint and financial certificates also required verification via a Korean phone. As a result, many had to buy a Korean prepaid SIM before traveling or make long trips to overseas consulates.

Going forward, overseas Koreans who are registered abroad and who hold a resident registration number and a valid e-passport can immediately obtain a certificate through five banking apps — KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Woori, Hana and Toss.

When logging into a public website, users select “Simple Authentication,” enter their overseas phone number with the country code, and then use the issued Overseas Korean Certificate to access services without additional steps. The certificate will work on any public website that supports Simple Authentication.

Kim Kyung-hyeop, head of the Overseas Koreans Office, said, “We will continue working with relevant ministries to steadily improve the digital service environment for overseas Koreans.”

Yoon Ho-joong, minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, said, “As we build an AI-enabled democratic government, we will do our best to ensure everyone can equally enjoy the convenience of digital services, with no one left behind.”

  • [Exclusive] Prosecutors at Samsung’s semiconductor lines step up expertise in probes of technology leaks
  • “Eat pizza then go to worship” fills a New York cathedral…Gen Z is overturning American churches [Park Si-jin’s Global Pick]
  • If I report it, the loss is only 2,000 KRW (about 1.50 USD)…A store owner frets
  • Will July revise special long-term supply and fair market value?…More listings could hit Gangnam’s three districts [Koju-bu]
  • Korean version of SpaceX becomes reality…Hanwha to buy additional KAI shares by year-end [Biz-Plus]
  • House price outlook dampened by regulation…Seoul metro area says prices will still rise
  • No drugs or vaccines — breathing stops and organs are destroyed…Global alarm after suspected human-to-human transmission reports
  • [Exclusive] Science talent award budget cut from 2.1 billion KRW (about 1.58 million USD) → 1.6 billion KRW (1.20 million USD)…“Hard to cover reviewers’ travel expenses”
  • 2028? 2029? When will wartime operational control transfer?…Lee: We must be ready to operate on our own [Lee Hyun-ho’s Military! Talk]
  • The 5th-generation indemnity reduces coverage for non-severe cases and lowers premiums — it launches on the 6th
Daniel Kim
content@tenbizt.com

Comments0

300

Comments0

[Social] Latest Stories

  • Starbucks Korea CEO Fired Over Controversial ‘Tank Day’ Promotion
    Starbucks Korea CEO Fired Over Controversial 'Tank Day' Promotion
  • 25,000 Robots vs. Human Workers: The High-Stakes Battle at Hyundai
    25,000 Robots vs. Human Workers: The High-Stakes Battle at Hyundai
  • Hotel Hygiene Scandal: Cleaner Caught Using Guest Towels to Wipe Toilets
    Hotel Hygiene Scandal: Cleaner Caught Using Guest Towels to Wipe Toilets
  • South Korea’s Tech Giant Kakao Faces First Major Strike in 20 Years
    South Korea's Tech Giant Kakao Faces First Major Strike in 20 Years
  • South Korea’s Aging Crisis: How One Leader Is Redefining ‘Well-Dying’
    South Korea’s Aging Crisis: How One Leader Is Redefining 'Well-Dying'
  • Stop Calling Them ‘Hey You’: South Korea’s New Push for Worker Respect
    Stop Calling Them 'Hey You': South Korea's New Push for Worker Respect

Weekly Best Articles

  • Choi Dong-seok’s Family Bond: How a Simple Engraving Reveals Deep Love for His Children
  • Kwak Sun-hee’s Stunning Wedding Photos: A Celebration of Love and Courage
  • Is ‘I Am a Natural Person’ Just a Big Lie? Comedian Yoon-taek Reveals Shocking Secrets!
  • Health Scare: Why Fans Are Worried About Go Ji Yong’s Dramatic Weight Loss
  • Discover the Winter Gongju Chestnut Festival: A Taste of Korea at H-Mart in the USA!
  • 2026 Spring Wildfire Prevention: How Gyeryong City is Cutting Response Time to 30 Minutes!

You May Also Like

  • 1
    Ukraine’s EU Bid Surges as Hungary Drops Opposition Amid Russian Attacks

    Politics 

    Ukraine’s EU Bid Surges as Hungary Drops Opposition Amid Russian Attacks
  • 2
    Trump Backs Colombia's 'El Tigre' — What It Means for U.S. Relations

    Politics 

    Trump Backs Colombia’s ‘El Tigre’ — What It Means for U.S. Relations
  • 3
    Trump Backs Colombia's Far-Right Outsider—What's at Stake?

    Politics 

    Trump Backs Colombia’s Far-Right Outsider—What’s at Stake?
  • 4
    12.5% Tariff Hit: South Korea Faces New U.S. Trade Penalties

    Politics 

    12.5% Tariff Hit: South Korea Faces New U.S. Trade Penalties
  • 5
    12.5% Tariff Alert: Why the U.S. Is Targeting South Korean Imports

    Politics 

    12.5% Tariff Alert: Why the U.S. Is Targeting South Korean Imports

Popular Now

  • 1
    Marta Kostyuk Makes History at French Open Amid Ukraine Crisis

    Politics&nbsp

  • 2
    37 Years in Exile: The Tiananmen Leader Who Just Wants to Go Home

    Politics&nbsp

  • 3
    South Korea's Cheongju Airport Faces Crisis as Passenger Numbers Explode

    Politics&nbsp

  • 4
    Nuclear Submarine Race: South Korea's High-Stakes Bid for U.S. Fuel

    Politics&nbsp

  • 5
    France Finally Admits Complicity in the 1994 Rwandan Genocide

    Politics&nbsp

Weekly Best Articles

  • Choi Dong-seok’s Family Bond: How a Simple Engraving Reveals Deep Love for His Children
  • Kwak Sun-hee’s Stunning Wedding Photos: A Celebration of Love and Courage
  • Is ‘I Am a Natural Person’ Just a Big Lie? Comedian Yoon-taek Reveals Shocking Secrets!
  • Health Scare: Why Fans Are Worried About Go Ji Yong’s Dramatic Weight Loss
  • Discover the Winter Gongju Chestnut Festival: A Taste of Korea at H-Mart in the USA!
  • 2026 Spring Wildfire Prevention: How Gyeryong City is Cutting Response Time to 30 Minutes!

Must-Reads

  • 1
    Ukraine’s EU Bid Surges as Hungary Drops Opposition Amid Russian Attacks

    Politics 

    Ukraine’s EU Bid Surges as Hungary Drops Opposition Amid Russian Attacks
  • 2
    Trump Backs Colombia's 'El Tigre' — What It Means for U.S. Relations

    Politics 

    Trump Backs Colombia’s ‘El Tigre’ — What It Means for U.S. Relations
  • 3
    Trump Backs Colombia's Far-Right Outsider—What's at Stake?

    Politics 

    Trump Backs Colombia’s Far-Right Outsider—What’s at Stake?
  • 4
    12.5% Tariff Hit: South Korea Faces New U.S. Trade Penalties

    Politics 

    12.5% Tariff Hit: South Korea Faces New U.S. Trade Penalties
  • 5
    12.5% Tariff Alert: Why the U.S. Is Targeting South Korean Imports

    Politics 

    12.5% Tariff Alert: Why the U.S. Is Targeting South Korean Imports

Popular Now

  • 1
    Marta Kostyuk Makes History at French Open Amid Ukraine Crisis

    Politics 

  • 2
    37 Years in Exile: The Tiananmen Leader Who Just Wants to Go Home

    Politics 

  • 3
    South Korea's Cheongju Airport Faces Crisis as Passenger Numbers Explode

    Politics 

  • 4
    Nuclear Submarine Race: South Korea's High-Stakes Bid for U.S. Fuel

    Politics 

  • 5
    France Finally Admits Complicity in the 1994 Rwandan Genocide

    Politics