Naver is launching a regional partnership campaign with local governments and public institutions to improve convenience for foreign tourists visiting South Korea. The company said on Tuesday it will run its \'Be Local\' campaign through July 19, promoting about 300 hotspots across Busan. Users who set Naver Map to a foreign language can view recommendations via a Be Local tab. The campaign also offers coupons and supports reservations, orders and payments, including via a passport verification feature.

Naver is moving to address a key inconvenience for foreign tourists in South Korea: the lack of a domestic phone number for identity verification. The company said it has introduced a passport verification service for users holding passports issued overseas. It said short-term visitors can complete identity checks using only a smartphone and then access O2O services such as place reservations via Naver Map, restaurant orders and easy payments at the same level as locals.