Combination biometric access control products

	Nitgen’s NAC-5000 is a fingerprint access control device with 5.7in color LCD touchscreen and USB interface. It registers up to 50,000 users.

The country’s various technological and logistical advantages make it an ideal base for biometric product development and manufacture.

South Korea is one of the pioneers in the security systems and equipment industries. It has about 100 capable, dependable and aggressive suppliers of a wide range of high-quality biometric authentication systems.

Makers are currently focused on four key biometric authentication technologies: fingerprint, iris, face, and vein recognition. Combined, security products based on the four biometric technologies earned South Korea about $145.319 million in 2008 according to the Korea Biometric Association (KBA).

Although a fledgling industry, South Korea’s biometric authentication product segment enjoys the region’s advantages in technology know-how—mostly due to the government’s full support for the advancement of high-technology industries.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST), for instance, sponsors the “IR52 Jang Young Shil Award” annually, which is organized by the Korea Industrial Technology Association (KOITA). The event recognizes breakthrough and predominant technologies and products developed by South Korea makers.

The Korea Information Security Agency (KISA) has commenced the certification for biometric recognition devices and technologies in end-2008. KISA’s main objectives include establishing biometric standards that will increase the reliability, dependability and quality of the security products coming from South Korea. KISA has started issuing certificates for fingerprint, face and iris recognition technologies.

Government-run projects in South Korea also foster the biometric companies’ technical capabilities and field experiences. Korea Identification Inc., for example, is involved in developing a face detection system that would help the National Police Agency in fighting criminals and terrorists.

The South Korea government project named u-IT839 that was started in 2006, is also expected to help foster biometric authentication-related industries. The project aims to promote the region’s information and technology (IT) industry, including ubiquitous equipment, home network and security devices.

The major companies focusing on products based on fingerprint authentication technologies include Suprema Inc., Nitgen Co. Ltd, Digent Co. Ltd, Union Community Co. Ltd, Testech Co. Ltd. and IDTeck Co. Ltd.

Makers Jiris Co. Ltd and Rehoboth Tech Co. Ltd focus on iris recognition products, while Korea Identification and Firstec Co. Ltd supply face recognition-based biometric security products. Actiontech Co. Ltd and Techsphere Co. Ltd are among the few that make vein authentication-based security products.

In 2008, fingerprint authentication products led domestic sales with $125.141 million or 86.1 percent of the South Korea market—followed by face recognition products with $10.340 million or 7.1 percent; iris recognition products with $6.438 million or 4.4 percent; and vein recognition products with $3.4 million or 2.4 percent.

Seventy percent of Nitgen’s fingerprint access control products are shipped overseas, including Central and South America, Europe and Southeast Asia. The company offers OEM products, as well products labeled with its Nitgen brand. Nitgen’s model NAC-5000 fingerprint access control has a 5.7in color LCD touchscreen and keypads.

Union Community exports half of its fingerprint access control output to Japan, the Middle East, Europe and the United States. It also offers OEM and own-brand products.

Union Community is one of the companies that won the “IR52 Jang Young Shil Award” in 2008 for its Virdi 4000UV fingerprint access control device, which features fraud fingerprint protection and UV sterilizer. Another model from the company, the AC6000, was also recognized in the 2008 awards. It features a proximity sensor for automatic activation, UV protection for outdoor use and storage capacity for 50,000 fingerprint templates.

Its built-in camera stores up to 5,000 pictures of registered users and visitors. Union Community provides technical education programs for its clients.

	Union Community's AC6000 features a proximity sensor for automatic activation and UV protection for outdoor use.

Although fingerprint recognition products now account for the bulk of the biometric authentication market globally and in South Korea, the iris authentication security product segment is growing the fastest at more than 30 percent year-on-year, according to KBA.

Iris authentication equipment manufacturers say that the advanced optical camera technology of South Korea is the segment’s strongest technical driver.

Small-size cameras used for iris recognition products have very high technology barriers that compelled South Korea makers to import from Japan until recently. Now that South Korea makers have gained expertise in developing mini camera phones and compact digital cameras, accompanied by the rapid growth in camera module production technologies, domestic makers of iris recognition products are able to source modules domestically.

Makers expect that the cost of components used in iris authentication products will decrease in the next 12 months. This will make development and customization for the line easier and faster.

Iris-authentication device maker Rehoboth Tech offers the Irikon Flash Memory, a mini iris authentication USB device that stores up to 20 iris templates. The USB-rechargeable model has 0.1 percent FRR and 0.000083 percent FAR. It functions as an access control dongle for high-security computers, and as a plain USB flash memory card.

Rehoboth Tech has developed an embedded iris camera module, the SSK200. Because the company is able to manufacture its own modules, it is able to sell the Irikon Flash Memory for as low as $269. Rehoboth Tech plans to introduce an online transaction solution with iris authentication in the near future.

Most biometric authentication equipment makers from South Korea are targeting overseas markets. Key suppliers of fingerprint access control systems already export to Europe, North America, Japan and the Middle East.

Makers involved in developing iris-, face- and vein-authentication biometric products cater mainly to the domestic market, which serves as their product testing ground. These companies are confident that they will be ready to respond to international orders as soon as demand picks up.

All major companies develop their own core biometric technologies, setting themselves apart from other makers in Asia.

Korea Identification is one of the leading face recognition system manufacturers in South Korea. The company’s model XL 800 is used by the Customs Service of Korea, the Seoul Metropolitan Government Office and the National Police Agency.

The company said that the XL 800 is the region’s first multibiometric authentication access control, featuring face and fingerprint recognition in one device. The security level of the device can be customized by the user.

The model is not a standalone model at present, but Korea Identification plans to release a standalone-type face recognition access control in 2009. The maker’s R&D team is also working on a 3D face recognition solution that is expected to provide an even higher level of accuracy.

Seoul, the capital city of South Korea, hosts the majority of the biometric authentication system makers in the region. The rest of the suppliers are clustered in nearby districts such as in Gyeonggi.

Transportation from one hub to another takes 30 minutes to 1 hour via private or public transport such as taxis, local and intercity buses, and intracity and suburban subways.

Seoul and Gyeonggi also host the largest number of company head offices—not only of the region’s large, medium and small suppliers of security and electronic devices but also of foreign companies such as Sony, Panasonic, Philips and Honeywell.

Both Seoul and Gyeonggi are near the South Korea’s biggest international airport, the Incheon International Airport. It only takes about 1.5 hours at most from Incheon International Airport to Seoul or to Gyeonggi either by subway or by airport limousine. South Korea has four other international airports and about 10 domestic airports. Most of the biometric products exported by the region go through the Incheon International Airport.