590,000 Drivers Receive Special Amnesty on License Administrative Penalties... Excluding Drunk Driving and Fatal Accidents

Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, National Police Agency building. / Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The National Police Agency will implement a special pardon for driver's license administrative sanctions on the 15th. This measure is in response to the government's initiative to provide an early return opportunity to economic activities for livelihood drivers facing difficulties due to driver's license administrative sanctions, in celebration of the 77th Liberation Day.

On the 12th, the National Police Agency announced that the special pardon for 592,037 individuals subject to driver's license administrative sanctions will be implemented starting at midnight on the 15th. The targets include those who have received penalty points for traffic violations or accidents from November 1 last year to June 30 this year, those currently undergoing license suspension or cancellation procedures, and those in the license acquisition restriction period.

With this special pardon, all penalty points will be deleted for 517,739 drivers holding penalty points. A total of 3,437 individuals currently undergoing license suspension or sanction procedures will be able to drive immediately from the 15th. Additionally, 73 individuals undergoing license cancellation procedures will also be allowed to drive immediately. The restriction period preventing license acquisition after cancellation will be lifted for 70,788 people, allowing them to take the license test immediately after completing special safety education.

Those subject to withdrawal of license suspension or cancellation will be individually notified by mail, but deletion of penalty points and lifting of restrictions must be confirmed individually. Returned driver's licenses can be retrieved at the local police station of the registered address. Furthermore, those exempted from license cancellation due to this special pardon must complete six hours of traffic safety education conducted by the Road Traffic Authority on September 15. Failure to complete this will result in a fine of 100,000 KRW.

The National Police Agency expects that this special pardon will reduce the burden on those who drive for livelihood, such as delivery or goods transportation, and enable their return to economic activities. A police official urged, "Even if the license suspension or cancellation procedures are halted and driving becomes possible, please be cautious not to drive before midnight on the 15th, as doing so may result in penalties for unlicensed driving."

Drunk driving is excluded from this special pardon again. The police explained that this is a measure considering the risk and potential social condemnation, even if it is a first offense. Drivers who caused fatal accidents are also excluded from the pardon due to the severity of harm and preventive reasons. Those excluded also include individuals who fled after a traffic accident, reckless or retaliatory drivers, drug-impaired drivers, vehicle-related criminals, those who obtained licenses fraudulently or falsely, car theft or robbery offenders, those who assaulted police officers during enforcement, violators of traffic laws in protected zones, excessive speeding offenders, and those who received pardons within the past three years.

The status of the special pardon can be checked after identity verification through the National Police Agency's 'Traffic Civil Complaints 24' service. On weekdays, it can also be confirmed via the Police Civil Complaints Call Center using a mobile phone registered under the individual's name. It is also possible to inquire at the local police station. However, the police explained that for privacy protection, it is not possible to confirm pardon status over the phone at police stations.