"Available for use like an app at convenience stores and bars anywhere. Can be produced 24 hours a day. Contact us for inquiries."

Meticulously forged IDs are being actively produced and sold on social network services (SNS). Not only does this encourage delinquent behavior in teenagers, leading them into serious crimes such as official document forgery, but, more recently, these forged documents are also being exploited in larger-scale crimes such as real estate fraud, prompting calls for urgent crackdowns.

Fake ID trading on SNS encouraging youth delinquency
Mobile IDs also forged... Concerns over criminal misuse

A notice reading 'No entry without ID card, driver's license, or passport' is posted on the entrance door of a store in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jaehyun Park

On April 28, searching keywords such as 'ID forgery' and 'ID card production' on X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram revealed dozens of posts advertising forged IDs for sale. The sellers claim that their IDs can perfectly deceive identity checks at convenience stores, bars, karaoke rooms, as well as for transferring concert tickets or entering pre-recorded TV shows.

Inquiries made through Telegram messages found that the going rate is in the hundreds of thousands of won. One seller stated, "Physical ID cards are sold for 250,000 won, and driver's licenses for 300,000 won," emphasizing that these are the lowest prices in the industry. Some sellers even advertise that their IDs closely replicate holograms on real cards and offer delivery via courier.

Mobile IDs can also be easily forged. Accessing the link sent by a fake mobile ID seller brought up a screen mimicking the Government24 mobile ID interface. According to a representative, "By entering your name, issuance date, resident registration number, and address, you can use it anytime at convenience stores, bars, motels, and more."

These forged IDs especially appeal to teenagers’ desire to break the rules, providing a means for behaviors such as buying alcohol or cigarettes. Although recent legal revisions allow business owners to avoid penalties like business suspension if they have fulfilled their duty to verify IDs, many say that the quality of forgeries has become so high that it is difficult to tell the difference in the field. Park Myung-gyu (age 70), who runs a convenience store in Mapo-gu, Seoul, said, "If someone deliberately brings a forged ID that even replicates the hologram and texture, there’s no way to tell it’s fake."

Brazenly Traded on Telegram... Sold for Tens of Thousands of Won
Risks of Secondary Crimes such as Personal Information Leakage and Voice Phishing

When searching for keywords related to 'ID forgery' on social networking services (SNS), sales accounts and posts posted by forgery companies appeared in a row. Screenshot from X (formerly Twitter).

An even greater problem is that these forged IDs are now being exploited as tools for criminal activities in real estate transactions. In such scams, criminals create fake IDs using the building owner’s personal information and forge lease contracts, then request urgent sales through brokers and disappear after stealing the deposit. Following recent cases, the Korea Association of Realtors posted a notice on April 7 warning its members to be cautious.

Counterfeiting and usage are both serious crimes...up to 10 years imprisonment

“Many youth are let off with warnings, lowering the threshold for crime”

Under current law, purchasing or using a forged ID is considered a serious crime. The crime of forging an official document and the crime of using a forged official document are each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. There is no provision for a fine, meaning that a guilty verdict results in an immediate prison sentence, highlighting the gravity of the offense.

However, some point out that the threshold for crime has lowered, as actual prison sentences are rare for juveniles. Lawyer Kwak Jun-ho of Cheong Law Firm explained, "Legally, these offenses are felonies that can result in prison terms, but for juveniles, they often result only in reprimands or suspension of indictment. This has contributed to lowering the barrier to committing such crimes."

Proliferation of Forged Official Documents... Calls for Strengthened SNS Crackdown
Fake ID Market Spreads... “Must Stop Before Damage Grows”

Mobile ID screen from Government24 (left) and forged mobile ID screen (right). The forged ID can be screen captured, but the Government24 ID cannot be captured. Photo by Jaehyun Park

There are also concerns about the risk of secondary crimes and further victimization stemming from forged IDs. Personal information such as photos, resident registration numbers, or those of others, handed over to the forger during production, can be exploited in crimes like voice phishing and romance scams. In fact, during the reporting process, one forgery vendor was found posting the names, addresses, birthdays, and resident registration numbers of clients who failed to pay on time in a public Telegram group as a form of retaliation.

Kwak Dae-kyung, professor at Dongguk University's College of Police and Criminal Justice, said, "If you use someone else's personal information to make or order a forged ID, you could be punished not only for official document forgery and using forged documents, but also for violating the Personal Information Protection Act, resulting in even heavier penalties. Secondary crimes, such as those related to romance scams, can also occur."