Regulations on Right Turns Revised Again This Year Following Last Year
Experts: "Rules Change Frequently, Making Compliance Difficult"
At around 8:10 a.m. on the 6th, in the right-turn lane toward Seocho Station at the Gyodaeipgu Samgeori intersection, the foremost vehicle is waiting for the pedestrian signal to end even after the pedestrian has fully crossed the crosswalk, causing a long line of vehicles to form behind it. Photo by Taewon Choi skking@
[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Taewon] Near Seocho Station on Seoul Subway Line 2, notorious for traffic congestion. At around 8:10 a.m. on the 6th during the morning rush hour, a commotion broke out in the right-turn lane heading toward Seocho Station at the Gyodaeipgu Samgeori intersection. The vehicle at the front waited for the pedestrian signal to end even after the pedestrian had fully crossed the crosswalk, prompting the vehicle behind to honk its horn. Nevertheless, the lead vehicle only attempted the right turn after the pedestrian signal had ended. As a result, cars behind it were unable to move, causing a long line and worsening traffic congestion.
Although the revised Road Traffic Act, which mandates a temporary stop before the crosswalk when making a right turn, has been in effect for six months, confusion still persists on the roads. While it is permissible to proceed if no pedestrians are present, many drivers are not fully aware of the regulations and wait for the pedestrian signal to change.
According to Article 27, Paragraph 1 of the Road Traffic Act, revised last July, all vehicle drivers must temporarily stop in front of the crosswalk when pedestrians are crossing or intending to cross. Previously, the obligation to stop applied only when pedestrians were crossing, but under the revision, drivers must stop even if pedestrians are merely about to cross. Drivers who violate this regulation face a fine of 60,000 KRW (for passenger cars) and 10 penalty points.
After the revised Road Traffic Act was implemented last year, the police conducted special traffic safety activities including guidance and enforcement for one month, but these efforts did not yield significant results. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency distributed promotional materials and conducted traffic guidance and awareness campaigns targeting citizens during the guidance period to publicize the main revisions.
Around 12 PM on the 6th, near crosswalk No. 3 exit of Yeouido Station, the leading vehicle waited for the pedestrian signal to end even after the pedestrian had fully crossed the crosswalk, causing a long line of vehicles to form behind it. Photo by Tae-won Choi skking@
In this situation, drivers expressed regret over the lack of sufficient publicity. The increasing number of people struggling to understand the regulations is causing traffic congestion.
Choi (39), an office worker who commutes to Seocho-dong, Seoul by car, said, “I agree with the intention to prioritize pedestrian safety, but if there is no legal issue, shouldn’t drivers be allowed to turn right quickly?” He added, “It’s really frustrating when you’re in a hurry.” He also mentioned the difficulty in understanding the complex regulations. Choi said, “Even when there are no pedestrians at the crosswalk, if a police car is nearby, I sometimes wait for the pedestrian signal to end because I’m not sure if I’m following the rules correctly.”
Kim (36), a self-employed person living in Myeonmok-dong, Seoul, said, “I understand that small delays accumulate and cause traffic congestion. At the very least, drivers should be able to fully understand the regulations to prevent unnecessary congestion.” He added, “Honestly, I have doubts about the effectiveness and think it’s too strict without flexibility.”
In fact, more than half of drivers expressed discomfort with the revised right-turn regulations. According to a survey conducted by the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation and the Child Welfare Research Institute in September last year, 68.2% of 1,000 drivers surveyed said the right-turn regulations were inconvenient. Compliance with the right-turn regulations was only 88.8%, meaning 11 out of 100 drivers did not follow the rules.
Moreover, concerns are rising that confusion will increase as right-turn regulations are set to change again this year. According to the “Changes from 2023” booklet published by the National Police Agency on the 5th, starting from the 22nd, vehicles intending to turn right when the front traffic signal is red must comply with the temporary stop obligation. Drivers must stop before the stop line when the traffic light is red. They may turn right if there are no pedestrians at the front crosswalk, but if pedestrians are present, they must wait until crossing is complete. When the front traffic signal is green, drivers may turn right slowly without obstructing traffic flow.
Professor Park Muhyuk of the Road Traffic Authority said, “Because the Road Traffic Act changes too frequently, many drivers want to comply but cannot. The government needs to take a more active role in publicity and guidance.” He suggested, “Police officers on the front lines should widely publicize the revisions, and at least during the 10-year driver’s license renewal, traffic safety education on the revised laws should be provided again.”
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