The government plans to introduce digital ID cards in the second half of 2024 that carry the same legal validity as a physical state-issued card.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on Tuesday that it issued an advance notice of revisions to the law on resident registration to lay the basis for the introduction of such cards to be stored in smartphones in an encrypted format.

The ministry said the revisions coincide with a growing number of people who do not carry wallets as well as the need for an ID confirmation system amid a surge in automated services.

The envisioned card can be used at banks and other financial institutions as ordinary ID cards.

According to a ministry official, the government could begin issuing the mobile cards from the second half of next year, or a year after the revised law is promulgated.

The latest move comes after the government began issuing mobile driver’s licenses last July, which can be used at all public institutions, banks, car rental services, airports and voting stations, as well as for online tasks such as opening bank accounts or filing complaints.