Cumulative users of KB Kookmin Bank's private certificate, the KB Kookmin Certificate, have surpassed 18 million.

KB Kookmin Bank said on Tuesday that users of the KB Kookmin Certificate have topped 18 million.

The KB Kookmin Certificate has expanded its user base since it was recognised as an electronic signature certification service provider in 2021. The number of users rose by 1 million in a year, after surpassing 17 million in August last year.

The KB Kookmin Certificate can be issued without visiting a branch and is used in KB Star Banking for simple authentication, electronic signatures and identity verification.

It can now be used for public services such as the National Tax Service's HomeTax, Government24 and the National Health Insurance Service, as well as for housing subscription and pension inquiries. It is also available on private platforms such as shopping and healthcare services and at KB Financial Group affiliates.

KB Kookmin Bank applies encryption technology and an anti-theft system to the certificate issuance and usage process, and it also offers biometric authentication and a simple password function.

A KB Kookmin Bank official said the KB Kookmin Certificate is expanding its scope of use beyond an authentication tool for financial transactions into public, financial and private sectors. The official said the bank will continue to improve convenience and usability.