On March 11, 2024, the Facesign payment service, utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) facial recognition technology, was launched at Kyung Hee University (KHU) Seoul Campus. Provided by Naver Pay, a user-friendly payment service backed by Naver Financial Co. (Naver), Facesign enables users to register their facial information via smartphones and conduct seamless payments using facial recognition, eliminating the need for physical cards or smartphones. The Facesign payment service is now available at seven locations across the campus, including student and faculty cafeterias in the Cheongwoon and Pureunsol buildings, the College of Nursing Science cafe, the School of Management cafe, and the Pureunsol cafe.

 Anyone who has registered their face can utilize the Facesign service at payment kiosks equipped with Facesign devices at cafeterias and cafes on the KHU Seoul Campus. Users can easily activate the Facesign payment service by registering their facial information through the Naver Pay application (app) on their smartphones, requiring only one-time registration.

 To register their face, users can scan the quick response code on the promotional poster and click on the Face Registration tab. Alternatively, they can navigate to Settings in the Naver Pay app, select Authentication, then Security, and finally click on Register Facesign under Facesign Payment. After verifying their identity, users need to position their face within the frame and take front, left, and right shots. Then, during the kiosk payment process, users can select Facesign and scan their face with the device located on the right side to complete the payment. Payment can be made using either Naver Points or Naver Money.

 The Facesign payment service operates entirely on AI technology, guaranteeing rapid recognition speed, exceptional accuracy, and security. During the initial registration of facial information, the AI meticulously analyzes the three-dimensional data of the user’s face before encrypting and securely storing it.

 Naver has implemented a rigorous identity verification process for individuals registering their faces through the Naver Pay Fraud Detection System. The Facesign payment service is specifically designed to prevent registration through unconventional methods like photos, ensuring users can trust the service with confidence. Moreover, it swiftly identifies faces with over 99% accuracy during the payment process, leveraging a sophisticated deep learning model to compare registered facial information with the face verified by the Facesign device.

 The Facesign payment system is highly anticipated and holds significant promise. Based on AI technology at the Korea Fintech Week 2023, hosted by the Financial Services Commission last year, it was showcased as a future payment trend, highlighting its importance. The commercialization of the Facesign payment service at KHU is particularly noteworthy as it represents the first external deployment outside Naver’s headquarters. It is anticipated that students will readily embrace and integrate the Facesign payment service into their daily routines.