Fingerprint Recognition for South Korean Airports

South Korean airports now feature fingerprint scanning systems in a bid to clamp down on international visitors carrying forged ID documents.

The fingerprint recognition technologies are in place at 22 airports in South Korea including Gimhae International Airport and Incheon International Airport, along with facial recognition technologies. These are supplemented by a newly-established immigration information analysis squad, the Korea Herald publication reported.

The South Korean airport fingerprinting scheme represents the initial phase of a wider national security programme, with two more stages to be put in place over the coming months. With effect from June 2011, fingerprint screening is to be performed on all international subjects staying in South Korea for more than three months, and all international subjects from December 2011 onwards.

“We will closely check related documents of visitors”, South Korea’s Justice Ministry advised news agency AFP, adding: “immigration officials will also use their instinct and experience in sorting out suspicious visitors.”

Airport Fingerprint Recognition

Date compiled by the airport fingerprint recognition systems will be assessed in tandem with a 230,000-record-strong database, and deportation will take place where matches are made.

The measures are being introduced in advance of the G20 Summit to be held in the South Korean capital city, Seoul, in November 2010.

Complementing the new fingerprint security technologies, four South Korean airports - Gimhae, Gimpo, Incheon and Jeju - now boast controversial full-body scanners. Full body scans will only be carried out on potentially threatening subjects using machines which have provoked waves of international concern over their no-holds-barred approach to body profiling.

South Korea: Airport Security

Echoing the comments of other nations where full-body scanners have been installed, South Korea insists that such airport security technologies are essential.

As per another local publication, the Korea Times, approximately 1,500 people tried to negotiate through immigration with fabricated documents between Jan and July 2010. Of these, the majority were Chinese residents, followed by Thai and Mongolian nationals.

See also:

Companies supplying Airport Security

Companies supplying Biometrics