If Driving License Is Canceled or Suspended Due to Drunk Driving, Traffic Safety Education Hours Will Be Tripled

Road Traffic Act Enforcement Decree Amendment... Up to 150,000 KRW Fine for Failure to Complete Education

On the night of the 25th, police conducted a non-contact breathalyzer test to crack down on drunk driving at the entrance ramp to the Busan direction of Seocho IC in Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The special traffic safety education hours required when a driver's license is canceled or suspended due to drunk driving will increase up to three times. The fine for not completing the education will be raised by more than double.

The National Police Agency announced on the 6th that it approved a partial amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Road Traffic Act containing these details at the 461st meeting of the National Police Commission held the day before.

Accordingly, the mandatory special traffic safety education hours for those whose driver's licenses have been canceled or suspended and who wish to reissue their licenses will be expanded from a maximum of 16 hours to a maximum of 48 hours, a threefold increase. The fine imposed for not attending the education will also be raised from 60,000 KRW to 150,000 KRW if the reason for cancellation or suspension is drunk driving. In other cases, it will increase from 40,000 KRW to 100,000 KRW.

The amendment is expected to be implemented within the first half of this year after review by the Ministry of Government Legislation.

A National Police Agency official said, "Although drunk driving is generally decreasing, the recidivism rate is not falling," adding, "We expect the strengthened education and increased fines to reduce the recidivism rate of drunk driving."