[Press Release]UNION biometrics: Realizing ‘Zero Trust’ through Unified Security
Source: UNION biometrics
Date: 2025/11/19
[Press Release]UNION biometrics: Realizing ‘Zero Trust’ through Unified Security
“Leveraging 25 years of biometric innovation to realize ‘Zero Trust’ through unified security.”
-Combining physical and information security under a unified “Zero Trust” framework
-Expanding biometric applications beyond humans to include pet nose-print recognition
-Advancing AI- and cloud-based ecosystems to power next-generation security
UNION biometrics (KOSDAQ: 203450), a pioneer in biometric authentication, announced plans to advance into a new era of unified security—bringing together physical and information protection to establish a true Zero Trust framework. CEO Yosik Shin emphasized that the company’s 25 years of biometric expertise will serve as a foundation for global expansion across both human and animal identification.
“Building on 25 years of accumulated biometric technology, we aim to evolve beyond human recognition and become a specialized biometrics company. Our goal is to create a ‘Zero Trust’ security system that continuously verifies every access attempt by combining physical and information security into a single framework.”
— Yosik Shin, CEO of UNION biometrics
(From UNIONCOMMUNITY to UNION biometrics)
During an interview at the company’s Seoul headquarters on September 30, Shin shared insights behind the company’s recent rebranding. Founded in 2000, UNION biometrics has developed advanced technologies encompassing fingerprint recognition, fake-fingerprint detection, facial recognition, face-spoofing detection, and iris recognition.
Marking its 25th anniversary in March, the company transitioned from UNIONCOMMUNITY to UNION biometrics—a move that reflects its ambition to deliver comprehensive, biometric-driven security solutions and enhanced customer value.
Shin noted that AI- and cloud-based operations will play a central role in the company’s future direction: “We’re moving beyond simply confirming authentication success,” he said. “AI will analyze behavioral patterns and log data to predict potential risks in advance. This forms the basis of genuine security intelligence.”
Toward the Era of Zero Trust
Recent cyber incidents have demonstrated that neither physical nor information security alone is sufficient. “True protection requires the convergence of both domains,” Shin stated. “Organizations must adopt unified security systems and strengthen internal controls to achieve genuine security.”
A practical example is NH Nonghyup Bank, which adopted UNION biometrics’ UBio-ezPass facial authentication solution across its internal terminals. The deployment enhances access security with features such as login-history tracking and multi-user login prevention—addressing key vulnerabilities inherent in traditional authentication processes.
“We are developing a fully unified platform and service portfolio to lead the ‘Zero Trust’ paradigm,” Shin added. “A framework that continuously verifies every access—regardless of location or device—will define the new global standard for security.”
Expanding Biometrics to the Pet Ecosystem
The rebranding also signals UNION biometrics’ expansion of biometric innovation from humans to animals. In August, the company opened a Pet Registration Center and began commercializing pet nose-print recognition for dogs—a world first.
The technology utilizes the unique patterns of a dog’s nose wrinkles—akin to human fingerprints—to identify and register individual pets. Both contact and contactless registration methods have been introduced.
Under Korea’s current Animal Protection Act, nose-print identification is not yet officially recognized; only internal and external microchips are permitted. However, UNION biometrics’ nose-print service was selected for the ICT Regulatory Sandbox Program under the Ministry of Science and ICT, paving the way for future legal adoption.
“The government and local authorities are exploring ways to simplify pet registration and encourage greater owner participation,” Shin said. “Once institutionalized, this system will enable exponential growth in data-driven pet services.”
Building the Future of Biometric Security
According to Shin, a dedicated digital ID for pets could securely connect services such as healthcare, insurance, commerce, and pet care. The company also envisions applications in pet-friendly facility access, lost-pet recovery, and smart-city pet management.
To achieve these goals, UNION biometrics is pursuing international collaboration and standardization to position its registration and authentication systems as new global benchmarks.
“In the short term, our priority is to institutionalize pet nose-print registration,” Shin concluded. “In the long term, we will build an AI- and cloud-based unified security ecosystem that defines the next generation of security standards.”