South Korea designs new passport

SEOUL, March 3 (UPI) -- South Korea plans to issue new passports beginning this November in which the holder's photograph will be directly printed.

The Foreign Affairs-Trade Ministry said the new feature will thwart forgery or falsification of passports, the Korea Times reported Wednesday.

Instead of being affixed and laminated onto the page, the photos will be printed through a digital printing process, which uses a laser or chemical treatment, the ministry said.

Consortiums led by Samsung SDS and LG CNS held presentations at the ministry to win the contract for the new passport.

The ministry plans to select a preferred bidder by the end of March.