Minister Park Sang-woo: "I will install pedal black boxes in cars... Mandating them is a different matter"

The National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee Expresses Negative Stance on Mandatory Installation of 'Pedal Black Box' by Manufacturers

Park Sang-woo, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, expressed a negative stance on the plan to mandate the installation of pedal black boxes by vehicle manufacturers.

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Park Sang-woo is speaking at the plenary meeting of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee held at the National Assembly on the 10th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

On the 10th, during the plenary session of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, when Yoon Jong-gun, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, questioned the mandatory installation of pedal black boxes by manufacturers, Minister Park said, "Personally, I am planning to install a pedal black box in my own car," but added, "Whether to force manufacturers to do so is a different matter."

He stated, "From a policy perspective, there are various regulatory issues, so it is preferable to encourage voluntary adoption first," and added, "If it is forcibly mandated, trade friction could arise, so caution is necessary."

When Representative Yoon asked, "Manufacturers have been recommended to install them for years, but hasn't that recommendation been ignored?" Minister Park replied, "We will make more active recommendations."

Minister Park reiterated, "I believe (pedal black boxes) are necessary devices," and said, "Whether to choose the method of recommendation and encouragement or the method of legal enforcement requires more comprehensive and careful consideration."

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will hold a meeting with completed vehicle manufacturers regarding pedal black boxes on the 11th.

Voices are emerging that pedal black box installation should be mandated to investigate the cause of accidents, as the driver involved in the wrong-way driving accident at Sicheong Station claimed sudden unintended acceleration. The Ministry is also considering measures such as providing automobile insurance premium incentives to drivers who install pedal black boxes.