Korean Job Discussion Forums

aimeecate · Joined: 03 Sep 2006

Hey Guys,

So my husband and I went out to look for a two person scooter to buy tonight. We went to a couple different shops and we brought our Korean friend so we could ask some questions. Both shops told us for two people to ride it we'd need a scooter over 100 cc and we would have to have a license and insurance. Apparently if you buy a scooter less than 100 cc you don't need a license or insurance.

We know of a couple other foreigners who have scooters over 100 cc and they never bought insurance or had an international license. Our Korean friend said this is a new law. Has anyone heard anything about this?

Darkness · Joined: 12 Oct 2006

These rules only apply if you're Korean...I have a 250cc, no papers, no plates, no license, no insurance...no problem!!

IlIlNine · Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Location: Gunpo, Gyonggi, SoKo

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

crazy_arcade · Joined: 05 Nov 2006

I have a 100 cc Honda..(actual displacement is 102.5 cc)

I wouldn't feel comfortable alone on a 50cc...definitely not 2 on a 50 cc.

Insurance and license are both required. You can probably get away for a while without either but could be royally funked also.

No insurace--well that's pretty obvious right? Driving without it is a pretty major offence. It could cause financial ruin. You get into an accident with a nice, expensive car. Not only could your bike be toast with no insurance for replacing it but you'll be paying out of your pocket for the other person's car.
Furthermore, if it's a serious accident and the police are involved, you will have the book thrown at you for driving without insurance.

No license--you get caught by the police and you'll be sitting with a 1 million won fine and a driving prohibition in Korea for 5 years.

Now, there are foreigners that do it...but they're idiots. Just like all the foreigners I see here that ride without helmets.

Just do it legally. Be smart about this kind of crap. It's not very hard. Insurance takes a fax and costs around 100 for the year and a license plate takes 10 minutes and costs 10,000. Neither insurance nor a plate require a license to be shown.

Turning in your native driver's license is a piece of cake or you could send away for an international license.

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

Benicio · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:40 pm Post subject:

I have a 125 scooter with a license- got it for car driving.

I didn't have insurance and it came back to really bite me in the a$$!

An ajumma ran out in front of me- not jaywalking, but jayrunning. She saw me and was trying to run across the street before me. I wasn't speeding, but I didn't see her until it was too late.
She ran into the side of my scooter and fell over.

If I knew then, I would have taken off- gotten the hell out of there!

Even though it was entirely her fault, she ended up suing me for a fictitious neck injury and was demanding 5 million Won. The police ruled that even though she was running across the street illegally, since I was on a vehicle and she was on foot, I was to blame.*
The police told me if I had insurance, then it would be taken care of. Since I didn't, I was fully responsible for any fines and restitution payments.
I had to go through a very, very stressful protracted legal battle that entailed visits to the police station and prosecutor's office to restate my story, 4 visits to the hospital to 'negotiate' with the greedy lying ajumma, and 2 trips to court.

In the end, I had to pay about 1.5 million Won and many, many hours of stress and problems.

Get insurance or do your best to leave the scene of an accident as fast as possible- this includes if the accident is not your fault!

*There was a case of a drunk man laying in the middle of the road at night. Of course, he was run over by a driver who didn't see him until it was too late. Guess what- the police determined that if the driver had been more careful, he could have avoided the accident, so he was held partly responsible, having to pay a large restitution to the drunk's family. (sorry, no links at the moment).

ytuque · Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Location: I drink therefore I am!

Which is simpler while in Korea, getting an international driver's license or getting a Korean license?

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

ytuque · Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Location: I drink therefore I am!

The idea of handing over my license from back home doesn't appeal to me for some reason. Can you get an international license here in Korea?

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

st02wy · Joined: 25 Jul 2007 Location: Seoul

I need to get plates for my 125 cc scooter but I don't know where to go. I got my license last week but they license center told me I had to go somewhere else to get my plates. They weren't making much sense so I left in frustration.

Jeff's Cigarettes · Joined: 27 Mar 2007

Just found this: Dated Jan 14, 2009.

Anyone know when this rule takes effect?
And just to clarify, at present you do only need a regular driver's license to ride a 125?

optik404 · Joined: 24 Jun 2008

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

optik, I'm not sure about your question.

If you have a DL from home and an Intl. DL from home, they must both be valid in order to be internationally recognized.

If you have a DL from home and it is valid, you can obtain a Korean DL with it. The Korean DL then has an expiration date of it's own. Currently, the home DL the Korean driver's license agency has for me is expired, but my Korean DL is good for years.

Jeff's Cigarettes: BassExpander, IllIllNine and I are in talks of doing a motorcycle/scooter podcast. Getting answers about the law change dates will be attempted before we do the podcast, but if I get answers sooner, I'll post them.