Authentication certification of personal seal system to be digitized

The authentication certification of the seal system, which has been in place for 110 years, is set to transform into a digital format.

President Yoon Suk Yeol unveiled this strategic move during a public discussion titled “Digital that Enables Coexistence and Protection of People’s Interests and Rights,” convened in Pangyo Techno Valley on Tuesday. The Yoon administration’s commitment is to comprehensively digitize paperwork across 1,500 administrative services within government offices over the next three years, commencing with 420 services slated for completion by the close of 2024.

Addressing the challenges faced by self-employed individuals and small to medium-sized business owners entangled in complex paperwork processes, President Yoon emphasized the anticipated efficiencies stemming from the reformation of the authentication certification of the seal system. The president underscored that this shift would significantly reduce the time required for paperwork preparation, ultimately streamlining bureaucratic procedures. Additionally, he highlighted the potential for a substantial budgetary reduction, estimating that digitizing 30% of the existing paperwork would result in savings amounting to a trillion dollars.

The government’s strategic plan involves the progressive digitization of 2,145 out of 2,608 services requiring authentication certification of seals by 2025. As of 2023, a staggering 29,840,000 authentication certificates were issued, with the intention to either abolish or transition approximately 28,870,000 cases into the digital seal system.

However, recognizing the sensitivity of authentication certificates related to real property registration and submissions to financial institutions - particularly in matters concerning property rights - these certificates will continue to be issued using the existing protocols. Individuals consenting to the provision of their authentication certification of seal information will benefit from a streamlined process, saving time and costs by allowing institutions to share data within the confines of the government system. Online issuance of authentication certificates through the “Government 24” homepage, the online civil and administration service platform, is slated to commence in September 2024.

In addition to this initiative, President Yoon highlighted a mandatory information disclosure policy for probability-based items in the game industry, indicating the government’s commitment to fostering transparency and fairness in this sector. These items have often been cited as representative instances of unfair trade practices.


sojee@donga.com