Naver, Kakao, Toss fail identification verification review

By Kim Bo-eun

Major tech firms Naver, Kakao and operator of the financial platform, Toss, Viva Republica, face a delay in entering the identification verification business, as they failed to be designated by the government as entities able to carry out the process.

The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) on Monday stated that the three companies did not pass a screening for the identification verification, which is used to allow access to various online processes. Under the current system, verification is carried out by through mobile phone or credit card numbers. The three telecom companies, SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus, are the only entities in the business.

The commission said in a press release that it determined the three corporate bodies that applied did not meet the designation criteria, based on a review by its screening panel.

"Viva Republica did not have its own certification tool when it applied," a KCC official told The Korea Times. "Kakao and Naver also did not have a specifically unique means for all individuals to be identified in a verifiable manner.”

The agency said that Viva Republica needed to make improvements on 17 out of 92 elements. It also found Kakao had 17 elements that needed improvement. Naver needed to fix 22 elements.

The KCC, however, said that the dates for the next round of applications were not fixed yet.

A Viva Republica official said, "The company will reapply as soon as the next application period opens."

"We are hoping that the second review will take place soon, given the growth in demand for online identification verification services as contactless services have become the norm."

Viva Republica, which learned about what it needed to improve during the screening process, later came up with its own identification verification tool, but the commission said that this could not be reflected because it was not ready when the review had begun.

A Kakao official stated, "We will review reapplying, based on the areas of improvement we will be notified of.” A tech industry official added, "The government needs to expand the means of identification verification that users can choose to use."