From March onwards, certain CU and GS25 convenience stores throughout South Korea will introduce a new payment method where customers can pay using facial recognition technology.

South Korea is literally peppered with convenience stores throughout the country, with customers using them to buy anything from toothpaste to a full service breakfast.

The convenience stores trialling facial recognition have partnered with Toss, a mobile financial service provider operated by Viva Republica, a South Korean technology company active in lending, payment services, financial services and stock brokerage, to roll out a new payment service called FacePay.

Toss FacePay is a service that allows you to pay by face recognition if you register your face and payment method in advance.

According to reports, 7-Eleven is expected to launch the service in the second quarter of 2025, with users already registering their face in the Toss app.

Users of Toss, will have their face recognised at a participating store by a terminal at the checkout counter for payment.

The system includes sophisticated security protocols to safeguard user data, with all FacePay information being encrypted and held on secure servers.

CU and GS25 are set to conduct employee trials in chosen outlets to evaluate the system before its full rollout.

Starting in convenience stores, the company aims to extend FacePay to additional areas like cinemas and coffee shops, broadening the availability of facial recognition payments.