ABSTRACT
Biometrics is an umbrella term for methods that identify an individual based on physiological and/or behavioral characteristics such as fingerprint, face, iris, retina, vein, palm, voice, gait, signature, etc. The use of biometric systems is increasing worldwide; consequently there is a need for understanding its procedures via common biometric symbols. However, people with different backgrounds, such as native language, culture, customs, life style, education level, and religion, have various perceptions and expectations of any given symbol. We evaluated how Korean culture influences the use of biometric symbols. Our study was performed by interviewing 100 subjects residing in South Korea using 24 symbols which were developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Biometrics Usability group. The results present empirical evidence of potential differences in understanding and expectations of biometric symbols due to Korean culture and user knowledge.
