Kim Rahn is the managing editor of The Korea Times. Since joining the company in 2003, she has covered various beats including the presidential office, Seoul city government, the Bank of Korea and the tourism industry. In 2014, she won the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) award for her coverage of the ordeals of migrant women in Korea.
Automated immigration service available for foreign tourists
By Kim Rahn
An automated immigration service will become available for foreign visitors to Korea without prior registration starting July 10 at the time of departure using facial and fingerprint recognition technology, the Ministry of Justice said Monday. / Yonhap
By Kim Rahn
Foreign visitors to Korea will be able to use an automated immigration service without prior registration when departing the country at the nation's major airports starting July 10, according to the Ministry of Justice, Monday.
The ministry said foreigners aged 17 or older who have provided facial and fingerprint records at the time of entry are eligible to use the service. When leaving Korea, they can use automated immigration checkpoints at Incheon, Gimhae, Gimpo, Jeju and Daegu international airports and Busan Port.
The service is available for people visiting Korea for 90 days or less who mostly come for tourism. A longer period of stay is possible for nationals of countries with which Korea has reciprocal agreements on this, such as six months for Canadian citizens.
The ministry said the service has become available due to technology developments that can check precisely whether the provided information and the person match.
So far, the fast-track service has been available without prior registration for Koreans aged 19 or over or foreigners aged 17 or older who have an alien registration card.
Foreign travelers who have failed to provide facial and fingerprint information and those who have overstayed their visas cannot use the service, the ministry added.