CU, GS25 c-stores pilot face recognition payments across South Korea
Published on: Feb 14, 2025
The retailers will allow customers to make purchases by scanning their face at participating locations.
Starting in March, select CU and GS25 convenience stores across South Korea will implement a new service allowing customers to pay for their purchases via face recognition.
The retailers have partnered with Toss, the mobile financial service provider operated by Viva Republica, to roll out its new payment service, "FacePay." This solution lets users register their face and payment method in advance, enabling them to make purchases by simply scanning their face.
With 7-Eleven expected to launch the service in the second quarter of 2025, this option only works with users registering their face in the Toss app. At the store, they will have their face recognized by a designated terminal at the checkout counter for payment.
The system incorporates advanced security measures to ensure user data remains protected, as all FacePay-related data is encrypted and stored on secure servers.
CU and GS25 will begin employee trials at select locations to test the system ahead of its official launch. Initially launching in convenience stores, the company plans to expand FacePay to other sectors, such as movie theaters and cafes, to make facial recognition payments more widely accessible.
