The foreign ministry said Thursday it has put on hold a plan to start an online passport photo service for free, hit by protests from professional photographers and owners of printing shops.
Early this month, the ministry unveiled the plan to offer free digital photos for people when they apply for a passport through an online system starting at the end of this year, aimed at improving convenience to applicants.
The plan backfired at a time of economic downturn as hundreds of owners of photo-printing shops publicly decried the plan.
"Given the possible setbacks facing the photograph industry from the introduction of the new system, we will take more time to decide on whether to introduce it," a senior ministry official said.
The new system will be offered at the ministry's overseas missions on a trial basis, but will not be introduced at home this year, the official said on the condition of anonymity.
About 1,500 photographers and owners of printing shops plan to hold a protest rally outside the ministry building on Friday, according to the ministry. (Yonhap)