View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
blah
Joined: 08 May 2003 Location: Ulsan, Korea
|
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2003 2:26 am Post subject: Do I really need a Korean or International drivers license? |
|
|
I drove in Taiwan for a year with nothing but my old Canadian license. I drove in the Philippines for two years with the same. I never got pulled over in Taiwan, and in the Philippines the police just didn't care.
Can I get away with driving in Korea without a license?
How many people drive without a Korean license? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
funplanet
Joined: 20 Jun 2003 Location: The new Bucheon!
|
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2003 4:39 am Post subject: |
|
|
go get your kordl...easy to do and only costs 10 or 15000....you turn in your canuck dl...take an eye test and you'll have your kdl in your hand in an hour or less |
|
Back to top |
|
|
kangnamdragon
Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea
|
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2003 11:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I believe the law changed on July 1 and it is more difficult to get a license now.
Yes, legally you need one (Korean or international) so I guess the question is how important is it to follow the law? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
kimcheeking Guest
|
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2003 11:19 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Well, I've been pulled over and I haven't even been driving a year here. Made an illegal u-turn, honestly didn't know, got busted and paid 70,000 won. If I didn't have a licence I'm sure it would've been whole lot more trouble.
Get the license it's cheap.
KK |
|
Back to top |
|
|
captain kirk
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
|
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2003 7:28 am Post subject: |
|
|
believe it or not (i got one three years ago) a kdl is good for FIVE years. it cost twenty thousand won or something. just a vision test, and walk a straight line, and present the valid home country licence. yes, that's right, twenty thousand (or something) for five years. step right up! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
steroidmaximus
Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Location: GangWon-Do
|
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2003 5:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
do a search
got mine last year, cost me 10000 won, is good for 11 years. Just showed my Canadian license, alien card, passport, they asked me if I was crazy, did an eye exam and voila.
Before getting it however, I drove for over a year without one. The cops never asked me for a license. Most of the time I just got waved through any checkpoint. If you want to rent a car, then you need a Korean license. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
A.I. Guest
|
Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2003 12:12 am Post subject: |
|
|
Does anyone have any info on how to apply for a lisence post July 1st? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
mack the knife
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: standing right behind you...
|
Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2003 4:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Quote: |
...if you want to rent a car, you need a korean license... |
not necessarily. we rented a car in jeju with a texas license. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Anda
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: South Korea
|
Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 9:23 pm Post subject: Um |
|
|
Um, same way as before but It sounds like they have brought the driving test in as a requirment for getting a liense that they have been talking about. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
saw6436
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Daejeon, ROK
|
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 4:12 am Post subject: Now a test is required |
|
|
I have been here 5 years and have driven all 5. I only drove using my North Carolina DL. Got pulled one time and when I flashed the NCDL at the cop he puzzled over it for a minute, handed it back and waved me on.
Finally got my KDL last year. Eyetest, silly physical test, and W15,000. The KDL is good for 11 years.
If for no other reason get the KDL, an IDL is ok to use but where I am from they are pretty expensive. Also my experience with most Korean government officials leads me to believe that if the cop is not familiar with an IDL he/she will treat you as if you do not have a DL.
The problem getting a KDL is that now you have to take a written test. In Korean (as I was informed by my local police office - Seoul may provide bilingual tests). A driving test is also now required. Driving test should be easy. My cat drives better than 90% of most Koreans.
Get a KDL if for no other reason than it is a nice little souvineer (you have to return your Alien Registration Card) when you leave Korea. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
itaewonguy
Joined: 25 Mar 2003
|
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 4:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
JESUS! like we foreigners are the ones causing all these accidents,
and they want to make it harder for us to drive here!!!
A test in Korean?! I dont think so! thats impossible.. they can be stupid at times but they cant be that STUPID!!
koreans can get a full license after 24 hours of driving hours..and pass writen test,. OH MY GOD!!!
Last edited by itaewonguy on Wed Jul 16, 2003 7:50 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
U.S.A.
Joined: 19 Jan 2003
|
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2003 6:23 am Post subject: need it |
|
|
Get the Korean license. It doesn't take long to see the difference in driving style. Fender-benders are frequent and if you are a legal resident in Korea, then the international license will not be sufficient if an accident occurs.
Also, keep a disposable camera with a flash in your car. If you do have an accident, you'll want to get that thing out ASAP, snap off a few photos of the accident along with the other car, driver, and car's license plate.
Several foreigners' I have known who have driven in Korea kept disposable cameras and actually had to use them. The cameras saved them a world of financial hurt. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
captain kirk
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
|
Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 5:44 am Post subject: |
|
|
i got pulled over once. the cops had set up a speed trap, but i went through a red light to be creative. it's easy and cheap to get the korean licence, so why not? but if you prefer to be naughty, then naughty on! there are more cops in korea per square meter than all the donut shops in meegook, however, which probably only encourages you. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Corporal
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
|
Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 7:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I find it hard to fear the cops here. Especially since most of them are the baby-faced variety that look like they're at least a couple of years younger than me, who giggle and blush when I ask them (out the passenger's side) for directions. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Walter Mitty
Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Location: Tokyo! ^.^
|
Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 9:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Is it any different if all you want is a motorcycle license? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|