The Korean National Police Agency will implement a portable identity verification system across all local police stations and substations to swiftly confirm the identities of individuals with dementia or those under the influence of alcohol. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – Starting February 19, the Korean National Police Agency will implement a portable identity verification system across all local police stations and substations to swiftly confirm the identities of individuals with dementia or those under the influence of alcohol.
Utilizing compact fingerprint scanners and the police’s operational smartphones stationed at every local unit, the system will expedite the identity verification process by matching the fingerprints of individuals with the national police database.
Traditionally, confirming someone’s identity required the person to physically visit a nearby police station or substation, a process that could take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. However, with the introduction of this new handheld system, the process is expected to be significantly reduced to just 5 or 6 minutes.
This rapid verification is particularly beneficial for individuals with dementia, who often suffer from underlying conditions such as diabetes, allowing families and medical professionals to take appropriate actions more swiftly.
According to the National Police Agency, last year saw over 8,000 missing person reports for individuals with intellectual disabilities, autism, or mental illness, and more than 14,000 reports for missing people with dementia. Additionally, there were nearly 396,000 reports involving intoxicated individuals. The deployment of this system is anticipated to greatly aid in managing such cases more efficiently.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
