Number Plate Obstruction Reports Surge Annually
Strict Measures Including Fines Enforced
Penalties Apply for Number Plate Contamination and Damage
Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Gang-su) will strengthen crackdowns on the intentional obscuring of vehicle license plates this year.
Some drivers are increasingly using objects or leaving trunks open for extended periods to obscure their license plates in order to evade enforcement and penalties.
Mapo-gu reported that the number of intentional license plate obscuring reports has sharply increased each year, from 225 cases in 2020 to 376 in 2021, 623 in 2022, and 741 in 2023.
The district plans to enhance enforcement and penalties against vehicles with intentionally obscured license plates this year to prevent traffic violations such as illegal parking and to maintain road traffic safety.
Among vehicles reported through platforms like Safe Report, owners found to have intentionally obscured their license plates will be strictly fined (ranging from 500,000 to 2,500,000 KRW), and enforcement will be intensified. In cases deemed serious, criminal penalties (up to one year imprisonment or fines up to 10 million KRW) will also be pursued.
Specific major violations of license plate obscuring include: applying sticky substances to dirty the plate with dust, painting over numbers to falsify them, peeling off numbers to make identification difficult, bending or adjusting the angle of the plate to hinder recognition, and using objects such as dolls or ropes to cover the plate.
A district official noted that delivery motorcycles often operate with license plates contaminated by snow or dust accumulated over winter, leading to many reports. To avoid inconvenience from investigations, regular cleaning and maintenance are necessary.
Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, stated, “Vehicle license plates play a crucial role in complying with traffic laws and ensuring safe driving, so all drivers must pay close attention to managing their vehicle license plates. We ask for the active cooperation of residents, and Mapo-gu will continue to work towards building a safe community 365 days a year.”
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