Elderly Taxi Drivers to Receive Support for Pedal Misapplication Prevention Devices [Lee Administration's First Budget]

A Look at Unique New Projects in Next Year's Budget
Easy Access to Traffic Violation Videos via QR Code
Enhanced Caller ID for Investigative Agencies to Boost Trust

As concerns over traffic accidents involving elderly drivers grow, the government has decided to subsidize the installation of pedal misapplication prevention devices for taxi drivers aged 65 and older starting next year. The 2026 budget proposal also includes a project that will allow people to conveniently check traffic violation footage using a QR code on the notice, without having to visit a police station.

On August 29, the government held a Cabinet meeting and reviewed and approved the "2026 Budget Proposal," which includes several unique new initiatives, though their scale is not large.

Next year, the government will allocate 500 million won to newly support the distribution of pedal misapplication prevention devices for commercial drivers aged 65 and older. These devices are designed to prevent sudden acceleration or unintended acceleration caused by operational errors among elderly drivers whose physical or cognitive abilities may have declined. The government plans to subsidize 50% to 80% of the installation cost per vehicle (about 440,000 won) for drivers aged 65 and older who operate taxis or small trucks, using national funds. The program is expected to cover approximately 2,000 cases.

For the project that enables traffic law violators to check violation footage via a QR code on the notice without visiting a police station, 760 million won has been allocated. Although vehicle owners who have violated traffic laws already receive advance penalty notices with attached photos, there has been a growing demand to review video evidence to confirm violations. This initiative aims to improve public convenience.

An additional 860 million won will be allocated to a new project aimed at preventing phishing crimes committed by impersonators of police and other investigative agencies. The plan is to display certified caller information, such as "XX Police Station," on work phones (30,910 lines) used by investigators through the telecom provider KT. This will provide trustworthy caller information and is expected to reduce cases where people refuse to answer calls due to phishing suspicions, thereby also supporting investigative work.

A budget of 1.9 billion won has been allocated to a project that supports property management for daily living, such as purchasing necessary goods and paying medical expenses, for dementia patients who enter into trust agreements themselves or through legal guardians, with the National Pension Service acting as the public institution. For the installation of manhole fall prevention facilities in flood-prone areas nationwide, 110.4 billion won will be invested to prevent various accidents that may occur during heavy rainfall.

For aging apartment buildings that received construction permits before 2005 and house children under 13 or seniors aged 65 and older, 7.2 billion won will be allocated to support the installation of standalone smoke detectors. Ten billion won will be used for a pilot project providing online care for isolated or reclusive youth through online channels, and 113.2 billion won will be spent on deploying robots for the detection and removal of explosives and landmines.

To reduce the financial burden of wedding expenses, 3.5 billion won will be newly allocated to create forest wedding venues. Three such venues will be established next year by renovating facilities in national parks to blend with the natural environment and will be offered at affordable rates. For vulnerable groups, additional costs such as floral arrangements and makeup will also be supported.