Election Campaign Vehicles Face Penalties for Operation Without Approval

Temporary Approval Required at the Korea Transportation Safety Authority Inspection Center

If an election campaign vehicle, which is used for speeches and other activities in public places, is operated without approval, the user may face imprisonment or a fine. Since these vehicles are used only for a limited period, the approval process is simple.

The Korea Transportation Safety Authority stated, "Campaign vehicles under the Public Official Election Act must obtain approval for temporary modifications at the Authority's vehicle inspection centers in accordance with the Automobile Management Act." Campaign vehicles commonly seen during election seasons are usually modified small commercial vehicles with podiums, generators, loudspeakers, and recording or video equipment installed on them.

These modifications can affect vehicle safety standards such as length, width, height, and total weight. In January of last year, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport amended the Automobile Management Act to establish temporary modification approval standards for campaign vehicles, which have been in effect since July of last year.

Around February 2022, about a month before the 20th presidential election, employees at Evada, a vehicle advertising company in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, were producing a podium to be used for Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate's campaign. Photo by Kang Jinhyung, Gimpo aymsdream@

Temporary modification streamlines the process for modifications needed for a short period, such as during an election, so there is no need to visit a vehicle inspection center in person. Safety standards can be verified through photographs instead. Once the intended use is over, the vehicle must be restored to its original state within the validity period. The validity period is 80 days, which includes the modification period, the period of use, and the period for restoration after the election.

According to relevant laws, temporary modification approval must be obtained from the mayor, county governor, or district office head. If a vehicle is found to have been modified without approval, the violator may face imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 10 million won. The Korea Transportation Safety Authority has been delegated the authority for modification approvals. In February and March of this year, the Authority conducted two rounds of consultations with companies that modify vehicles for election campaigns to gather their opinions.

For companies and manufacturers who are new to or have difficulty with temporary modifications during the presidential election period scheduled for June, a third consultation will be held on the 29th at the Tuning Safety Technology Institute in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province. Jeong Yongshik, President of the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, said, "To ensure public safety, we strongly urge that all election campaign vehicles obtain temporary modification approval."