Recently, the Facepay system, which allows financial transactions by using only one’s f a c e without any other devices, was introduced in South Korea. Facepay uses three-dimensional ( 3 D ) cameras to extract 100 or more detailed features, such as the distance between eyes, the degree in which the facial bones stick out, and the angle of the jaw and nose, and register the data to the certification center. The face itself becomes a certificate. In China, Alibaba already introduced the Face pay system four years ago, and it is used widely across the nation. In South Korea, Shinhan Card recently received an approval for its pilot services from the government. Shinhan Facepay allows its users to purchase products only through facial recognition at any store where the Shinhan Facepay service is supported. The restaurants, cafés, and convenience stores at the headquarters of Shinhan Card already have adopted the pilot service since August 1st. It will also be introduced in the stores at Hanyang University, where the Shinhan Card has a partnership, in November, so students and staff members of the university have priority to use the service. Regarding the system, there are significant concerns about the potential breach of privacy and illegal use of other’s faces. Experts, however, claim that because it uses 3D cameras which can film one’s face in three dimensions, illegal payments by using other’s two-dimensional photo can be prevented. After going through safety verification, the system would be offered to the general public as early as 2020.
