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A passenger uses the Smartpass biometric facial recognition system at an Incheon International Airport departure gate. / Courtesy of Incheon International Airport Corporation

Naver Pay is accelerating the expansion of its biometric authentication-based services by integrating with Incheon International Airport's facial recognition departure service. Broadening its scope of utilization to encompass access and authentication, the company appears focused on strengthening the competitiveness of its digital identity verification platform.

On the 29th, Naver Pay announced that it has launched a service enabling users to access 'Smartpass,' the facial recognition departure service of Incheon International Airport, directly from the Npay application.

Smartpass is a service that allows passengers to pass through departure halls and boarding gates solely via facial recognition, provided they register their facial data, passport, and boarding pass in advance. Domestic citizens aged 7 or older can utilize the service, and following the initial registration, users only need to scan their boarding pass before departure. For users between the ages of 7 and 14, consent from a legal guardian is required.

This service is interconnected with 'Facesign,' Naver Pay's proprietary facial recognition access and authentication service. Existing Facesign users can utilize Smartpass by simply scanning their passport and boarding pass, without any need to re-register their facial data.

Users who complete the registration can proceed through departure procedures using only facial recognition, without presenting a passport or boarding pass, at the dedicated Smartpass lanes in Incheon International Airport's departure halls as well as at select boarding gates of participating airlines, including Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Air Seoul, Eastar Jet, Jeju Air, and Jin Air.

To commemorate the service launch, Naver Pay is running a promotion through August, awarding 3,000 Npay points to users who register both Smartpass and their passport information via the Npay app. Smartpass can be accessed in the Npay app under 'All Menus - Convenience - Incheon Airport Smartpass,' and details regarding the promotion can be verified by searching for Smartpass on the app's 'Finance' home screen.

Lee Hyang-cheol, Pay Service Lead at Naver Pay, stated, "With Facesign, which has been verified at large-scale events and diverse festival venues, now applied to Smartpass, we anticipate providing a swift and convenient experience for airport travelers during the summer vacation season," adding, "We will continue to progressively expand the sectors where Facesign can be utilized."

                                                                                                           Kim Seo-yeon