Police Crack Down on 'License Plate Switching and Illegal Tuning'... Intensive Enforcement Starting February

Seoul Police Agency Intensifies Crackdown on Illegal Activities of Two-Wheelers and Cargo Vehicles

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced on the 31st that starting from the 1st of next month, they will conduct intensive crackdowns for nine months on various illegal activities involving two-wheeled vehicles and cargo trucks, as well as traffic crimes such as reckless, violent, and retaliatory driving.

Due to the increase in delivery demand during the Lunar New Year holiday and school graduation and entrance ceremonies, the police plan to carry out joint crackdowns with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Korea Transportation Safety Authority, and Seoul Autonomous Police Commission on acts threatening traffic safety on major urban roads and side streets.

Two-wheeled vehicle attempting to evade police crackdown by 'bending the license plate.'
[Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency]

The main targets of the crackdown are △ deliberately obscuring or making license plates difficult to recognize △ unauthorized installation or modification of lighting devices, mufflers, cargo beds, etc., in violation of related regulations △ reckless, violent, and retaliatory driving. In particular, illegal acts such as attaching stickers to license plates or the so-called ‘beonhobpan kkeokgi’ (license plate bending) to evade police enforcement will be the focus of the crackdown.

Violations related to two-wheeled vehicle license plates and illegal tuning are punishable under the Motor Vehicle Management Act by imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 10 million won. In the case of illegal tuning of cargo trucks, penalties under the Construction Machinery Management Act include imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of up to 20 million won. Reckless, violent, and retaliatory driving are also subject to imprisonment or fines as stipulated by relevant laws.

Lee Chang-hoon, head of the Traffic Investigation Division at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, stated, “Illegal activities involving two-wheeled vehicles and cargo trucks pose a serious threat not only to the drivers themselves but also to the safety of other drivers, potentially leading to major traffic accidents, and therefore must be eradicated.” He added, “We will continue to work with related agencies through joint crackdowns to establish an advanced traffic culture and prevent traffic accidents.”