BC Card said Monday it has launched a payment service that enables foreign visitors to make transactions in Korea using only passport verification, marking a first for a domestic credit card issuer.
The service allows users without a resident registration card to sign up for BC’s Paybook app, giving them access to online shopping, food delivery, taxi booking and train reservations.
Foreign visitors who are not registered residents have faced difficulty using Korea’s digital payment services, as most online payment platforms require a resident registration number. BC Card said it developed the new service to address this limitation by building a payment infrastructure linked to foreign prepaid cards issued by its affiliates.
Users who receive a physical prepaid card from a participating partner can install the Paybook app, verify their passport and register by entering basic information. Payments can be made at about 3.5 million online and offline merchants nationwide through the K.ONDA card issued by payment service provider Danal.
The card issuer said the initiative would support Korea’s push to reach 30 million foreign tourists annually, while also helping small merchants benefit from increased spending by overseas visitors.
“We will continue to discover new revenue opportunities by expanding services for foreigners and strengthening partnerships with affiliates,” a BC Card official said.
andreahaneu@heraldcorp.com
