South Korea’s Revised Civil Registration Law to Drive Digital Transformation

The South Korean Ministry of Justice is drafting revisions to the Civil Registration Act to promote a comprehensive digital transformation of civil registration and management. The proposed changes are intended to strengthen the simplification and reduction of administrative procedures and improve data interoperability.

These revisions align with a broader national strategy to modernize identity and administrative systems. This effort follows the implementation of the Digital Bill of Rights in September 2023, which was launched by the Ministry of Science and ICT to establish digital norms and principles focused on freedom, rights, fair access, and digital innovation.

Existing Legal Framework for Digital Identity

The legal foundation for South Korea’s digital identity infrastructure is the Resident Registration Act of 1962. This act governs the issuance of the Resident Registration Card, which is the mandatory proof of legal identity for citizens issued at the age of 17. The card includes a unique 13-digit resident identification number (RIN) that encodes an individual’s gender, birth date, and other identifiers.

Under Article 6 of the Resident Registration Act, the card serves as the primary form of identification for accessing health insurance, banking, and government agencies. To further digitize these services, partial amendments to the Act were passed in November 2024. These amendments included Article 24(2), which authorizes the issuance of mobile resident registration cards, and Article 25, which establishes identity verification through mobile IDs.

Complementing these measures is the Electronic Government Act of 2001. Article 26 of this Act provides safeguards for the legal validity of digitized or electronic documents. The Act specifically defines digitized documents and electronic documents in Articles 2(7) and 2(8), while Articles 4(1) and 4(4) compel administrative agencies to implement measures to protect privacy and personal information.

Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Governance

The push toward digital registration coincides with the adoption of comprehensive artificial intelligence legislation. On January 21, 2025, South Korea became the first jurisdiction in the Asia-Pacific region to pass the AI Basic Act. This legislation regulates and enforces the use of AI, utilizing an approach similar to the European Union’s AI Act.

The integration of these digital and AI frameworks is part of a larger move to reduce reliance on physical paperwork. For citizens, this is already evident in the availability of optional Youth ID Cards for children aged nine to 18, which allow access to public services and discounted fees.

Administrative Scope and Resident Identification

The registration system also extends to non-citizens and overseas residents to maintain administrative order. Foreign citizens residing in South Korea for more than six months and overseas Korean residents may be issued an RIN. Those residing in the country for more than 90 days, including students or those on working holidays, are required to apply for a Residence Card to access housing, tax, banking, and health insurance services.

Other specific identification documents include the Permanent Resident Card and the Overseas Korean Resident Card, the latter of which is governed by Article 2 of the Registration of Overseas Korean Nationals Act of 2023. Birth registration currently relies on the submission of three separate documents: the Birth Certificate, the Basic Certificate, and the Family Relations Certificate.

The Ministry of Justice’s current drafting of the Civil Registration Act revisions aims to transition these and other civil management processes into a fully digital environment, reducing the administrative burden on both the government and the public.