‘Authentication nation’ tests visitors to Korea ahead of summer travel

“SEATTLE — As summer travel season approaches, many travelers heading to Korea are doing the usual pre-trip scramble: setting up medical appointments, registering kids for summer programs and lining up beauty visits. And then, almost immediately, they hit the same wall: phone verification. Before even boarding her flight, a Seattle-based Korean mom of two tried to book a dermatology appointment and sign her kids up for a local summer camp. Each time, the process stopped cold. Enter a Korean phone number. Verify. Confirm. Without it, nothing moves. “The most annoying word when dealing with anything online in Korea is ‘authentication,’” says Minjung Park, who visits Korea once every two years. “Why are there so many steps of verification and authentication? Drives me crazy.” The experience points to a broader limitation in Korea’s digital system. Much of it is built around mobile-based identity checks tied to local carriers, making logins fast and secure for residents. For visitors and overseas Koreans without a domestic number, access can be far less straightforward. Yanolja

Summary generated from the RSS feed of Korea Times Southkorea. All article rights belong to the original publisher. Click through to read the full piece on www.koreatimes.co.kr.