Ministry of Land, 2-Week Joint Crackdown on Overloaded Freight Vehicles Starting from the 22nd

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] From the 22nd to November 4th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will conduct joint crackdowns on overloaded freight vehicles for two weeks, focusing on major roads with heavy freight vehicle traffic nationwide, including expressways and national highways.

This joint crackdown will involve a total of 170 related organizations, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the National Police Agency, local governments, and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, to eradicate the habitual overloaded freight transportation practices that have continued despite ongoing enforcement.

The crackdown will be conducted simultaneously not only on major expressways and national highways but also on local roads and city/county roads, including detour routes that could be used to evade enforcement. Attempts to undermine enforcement through sharing of crackdown information among drivers will also be completely blocked.

If caught, fines ranging from 300,000 to 3,000,000 KRW under the Road Act or penalties and demerit points (50,000 KRW, 15 points) under the Road Traffic Act will be imposed. Unauthorized removal of safety devices or improper loading will result in disadvantages such as suspension of operation or reduction of vehicle use.

Additionally, promotional activities aimed at preventing accidents will be conducted targeting drivers of small freight vehicles under 4.5 tons, such as delivery trucks, to raise awareness about the occurrence of major traffic accidents.

Joo Hyun-jong, Director of the Road Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, “We plan to continue joint crackdowns on overloaded freight vehicles in the future,” and added, “We ask shippers, freight transport operators, and brokers to refrain from unfair trade practices such as demanding or forcing overloaded transportation and to actively cooperate in preventing major traffic accidents.”