Traffic fines to arrive via KakaoTalk starting Wednesday

Drivers will be able to receive traffic fine notices through KakaoTalk starting Wednesday. The Korean National Police Agency announced Sunday it will launch a pilot service to deliver traffic fine notices via KakaoTalk and the mobile identity-verification app Pass.

Notices will first be sent through KakaoTalk's notification service. If the recipient does not open the electronic document within 24 hours, a notice will be sent through Pass. If that too goes unopened within another 24 hours, a paper notice will be mailed.

Enforcement photos and footage can be viewed by tapping the "Check violation footage" button on the mobile notice, or by scanning the QR code on the paper notice and completing identity verification.

Police said the service is expected to speed up notification of fines and significantly cut administrative costs. Last year, about 41.34 million traffic fine notices were sent by paper mail.

The Korean National Police Agency said it will not use text messages for electronic notices to prevent smishing fraud. KakaoTalk notices will be sent only through the official "Police Traffic" channel, and Pass notices can be checked exclusively within the Pass app.