Driving in korea -kgumtree-

Korea is a party to an agreement of the Geneva Conventions. As such, Korea recognizes international licenses from other nations under agreement of the Geneva Conventions. Since January of 2002, international license from the following nations mentioned in the tip box are valid. The countries listed in the Tip Box are under agreement of the Vienna Convention.

International licenses are valid during the term of validity. The term of validity is limited to one year and upon expiration, the international license cannot be renewed but instead must be converted to a Korean license.

Nations under agreement of the Geneva Conventions

Asia, Oceania (18)	Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan
Americas(15)	Argentina, Barbados, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Paraguay, Republic of Dominica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, U.S.A., Venezuela
Europe(31)	Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Vatican City, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Georgia, Turkey, England, Serbia
Middle East, Africa (29)	Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Central African Republic, Senegal, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Kingdom of Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Morocco, Namibia, Rwanda, Republic of South Africa, Syria, Togo, Tunisia, Sierra Leone, Niger, Uganda, Zimbabwe

Nations under agreement of the Vienna Convention

Asia(7)	Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tazakistan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines
Europe(34)	Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Romania, Moldova, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Macedonia, Ukraine, Armenia
Middle East, Africa(16)	Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Iran, Israel, Kuwait, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, Seychelles, Republic of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Tunisia

Foreigners with a driver’s license may exchange their license for a Korean license. There are a few requirements for foreigners to apply for their Korean license.

First, you must be a resident in Korea. Those with a visitor’s visa or without a proper residence card cannot apply for a license. Second, you must provide a full license. Those with temporary, provisional, probationary, permit, certificate or motorcycle license cannot exchange it for a Korean license. Those without a proper license must go through the process of applying for a new license in Korea. Lastly, those with licenses issued from a country other than their home country must provide proof of residency in that country for 90 days ormore. You must prepare the following documents to apply for your Korean license.

• ① Applicants must hand in their foreign driver’s license before being issued a Korean license in exchange.
  When it’s time for you to leave Korea, you can get your foreign driver’s license by showing your passport and airline ticket.
• ② Embassy certificate
• ③ Translated and notarized copy
• ④ Passport
• ⑤ Alien Registration Card or Domicile Registration Card
  (*those without a egistration card must wait until they are issued one to proceed with their application for a driver’s license.)
• ⑥ Three photos (3 cm x 4 cm)
  - Physical exam: 5,000 won
  - License: 6,000 won
  - Simple knowledge test (for those who have a domestic license which hasn’t been recognized): 6,000 Won

※Foreigners can exchange their driver’s license for a Korean one at Drivers’ License Agency in Seoul Global Center (3rd floor, Press Center. Tel. 02-1688-0120)

States Recognizing Domestic License (May 9, 2011 Notification from the National Police Agency)

Asia(22)	Nepal, East Timor, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Brunei, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, India, Indonesia, Japan, Cambodia, Thailand, Tonga, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taipei
Americas(19)	Guyana, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, El Salvador, Uruguay, Chile, Canada, Costa Rica, Columbia, Panama, Barbados, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, [Maryland State(USA), Virginia State(USA)]
Europe(38)	Georgia, Greece, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Russia, Rumania, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Moldova, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, San Marino, Serbia, Swiss, Spain, the Slovak Republic, Iceland, Ireland, Albania, Estonia, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Italy, the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Croatia, Cyprus, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Portugal, Poland, France, Finland, Hungary, Austria, ※ Austria, For the holders of Korean driver''s license issued after 97.1.1 Austria exempt exams, treat Korean license as theirs.
Middle East (10)	Lebanon, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan, Yemen, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait
Africa(39)	Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Namibia, Nigeria, the Republic of South Africa, Niger, Liberia, Lesotho, Rwanda, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Botswana, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Swaziland, Sierra Leone, Algeria, Angola, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Tunisia, Chad, Comoros

1. Not renewing an expired license for over 1 year	110 points
1-2. DUI (Alcohol level 0.05% or higher, less than 0.1%)	100 points	Criminal prosecution
2. Prosecution from assaulting a police officer	90 points
2-2. Illegal parking (traffic obstruction by refusing organized or police officer’s movement order of 3 times)	40 points	Fine levied
2-3. Safe driving failure (dangerous driving or speed when refusing 40 points Fine levied organized or police officer’s order of 3 times)
2-4. Driving with disturbance within vehicle
3. Refusing to appear in the summary court past 60 days from the final notice of court appearance or from the expiration date to pay the fine, 40 points (Exempt from the point accumulation)	40 points(except accumulated points)
4. Crossing center divider line	30 points	Fine levied
4-2. Speed limit violation (40km/h over limit)
4-3. Railroad crossing violation
5. Driving on the shoulder of highway or bus designated/high oppupancy vehicle lane
6. Failure to present driver’s license		Fine levied
7. Signal violation	15 points	Fine levied
8. Speed limit violation (20km/h over 40km/h under limit)
9. No passing violation
10. Mobile phone usage while driving violation
10-2. Driving recorder non equipped vehicle operation violation
10-3. Children’s school bus driver’s duty violation
11. Passage violation (sidewalk or pedestrian crossing invading violation)	10 points	Fine levied
12. Lane changing violations (changing lanes on a no-change zone)
13. Bus only lane violation
14. Failure to secure safe distance (including lane change violations)
15. No passing zone violation
16. Pedestrian right-of-way violation (including stop line violation)
17. Passenger safety violation (getting in and out of vehicles)
18. Safe driving practice violations
19. Engaging in disputes or aguments on the road, interfering with surrounding traffic
19-2. School bus special protection violation

Bodily damage	Per death	90 point	When the victim dies within 72 hours of the accident.
	Per serious injury	15 point	Injuly that requires 3 weeks or longer of treatment.
	Per light injury	5 point	Injuries which need more than 5-day or less than 3-week treatment.
	Per injury	2 point	Injuries which need less than 5-day treatment.
Failure to take the proper procedures after causing an accident	Delayed	60 point	Subject to criminal prosecution
	reporting (bodily damage)	30 point
	Reporting within the legal	15 point

Bodily damage	Per death	90 point	When the victim dies within 72 hours of the accident.
	Per serious injury	15 point	Injuly that requires 3 weeks or longer of treatment.
	Per light injury	5 point	Injuries which need more than 5-day or less than 3-week treatment.
	Per injury	2 point	Injuries which need less than 5-day treatment.
Failure to take the proper procedures after causing an accident	Delayed	60 point	Subject to criminal prosecution
	reporting (bodily damage)	30 point
	Reporting within the legal	15 point

http://kgumtree.com/