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dogshed
Joined: 28 Apr 2006
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 Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 2:56 am Post subject: |
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| mattferrara wrote: |
Korean Driver�s License
If you have a valid driver�s license from your home country, you can exchange your license for a Korean license. The process can be fairly simple, or frustrating, depending on what country you hail from and how prepared you are. The information below should help with the latter.
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Let's say I want to fly to the US for a week and rent a car at the airport in the US.
I drive to the office and exchange my Korean license for my American one. Drive illegally in Korea until I leave for the US. Come back from the US. Drive illegally until I can get back to the office to exchange my license. Sounds screwy to me.
-Jeff |
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thebum
Joined: 09 Jan 2005
Location: North Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 3:09 am Post subject: |
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| captain kirk wrote: |
| 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! |
and what do you have to do if your home country license is expired? |
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oneofthesarahs
Joined: 05 Nov 2006
Location: Sacheon City
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| Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:40 am Post subject: |
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All of my Korean friends encourage me to drive illegally, because we're in a rural area, and they say "the police don't speak English and won't want to bother with you!!"
However, I do not encourage illegal behavior. But...you could probably get away with it depending on where you live. |
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mattferrara
Joined: 13 Jun 2005
Location: �ҳ�, �д�
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
Let's say I want to fly to the US for a week and rent a car at the airport in the US.
I drive to the office and exchange my Korean license for my American one. Drive illegally in Korea until I leave for the US. Come back from the US. Drive illegally until I can get back to the office to exchange my license. Sounds screwy to me. |
It is screwy.
Best bet: If you have any of the Visas listed in my previous post, or have been here for the required time, I'd suggest getting an International Permit issued from Korea, which would allow you to drive in the States using your Korean license. If you don't have that kind of visa and don't qualify for the IDP I'd contact the registry in your home state and explain your situation before going through the trouble of switching, then switching again, then switching again. Maybe they'd be able to offer a solution. I don't know, maybe even a temporary license with a one-month expiration date on it, like those issued to people who pass their test but have to wait for the actual license to be processed.
| Quote: |
| what do you have to do if your home country license is expired? |
You can't trade an expired license for a Korean one. Many U.S. states and Canadian provinces (I don't know about other countries, but it's worth looking into) allow you to renew your driver's license online. Each state/province has different rules and regulations and restrictions. For example, my home state, Massachusetts, only allows one Online Renewal; after that, you have to go into the RMV in person. You also can't do it in Massachusetts if you have a license photo that was taken before age 21 or that was taken more than nine years ago, hold a commercial driver's license, need to change your name, or if your license has been expired for an "extended period of time." Most U.S. states consider more than five years an "extended period of time," but it varies. Anyway, long story short, you could have your license reissued online, sent here or to a loved one back home (if your home state's registry's policy about out-of-state or out-of-country issuance) requires a local address), and then you'd have a new license to exchange for your Korean license.
Last edited by mattferrara on Sun Jan 28, 2007 9:21 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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dogshed
Joined: 28 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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| mattferrara wrote: |
| Quote: |
Let's say I want to fly to the US for a week and rent a car at the airport in the US.
I drive to the office and exchange my Korean license for my American one. Drive illegally in Korea until I leave for the US. Come back from the US. Drive illegally until I can get back to the office to exchange my license. Sounds screwy to me. |
I assume you mean "drive legally in Korea" since that's the whole reason for bothering to get the license.
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No I mean drive illegally. If the Koreans have my Missouri license and I trade in my Korean license to get the Missouri one back then for the few days until my plane leaves for the US I'm driving illegally. Of course this assumes they didn't loose it. |
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mattferrara
Joined: 13 Jun 2005
Location: �ҳ�, �д�
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| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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| dogshed wrote: |
| mattferrara wrote: |
| Quote: |
Let's say I want to fly to the US for a week and rent a car at the airport in the US.
I drive to the office and exchange my Korean license for my American one. Drive illegally in Korea until I leave for the US. Come back from the US. Drive illegally until I can get back to the office to exchange my license. Sounds screwy to me. |
I assume you mean "drive legally in Korea" since that's the whole reason for bothering to get the license.
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No I mean drive illegally. If the Koreans have my Missouri license and I trade in my Korean license to get the Missouri one back then for the few days until my plane leaves for the US I'm driving illegally. Of course this assumes they didn't loose it. |
Dang, you're fast. I reread and realized what you were talking about, edited, and then saw you beat me to it. Hah. |
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Mercurus
Joined: 06 Sep 2006
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| Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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| One question... if you "trade" your US DL for a Korean DL... can you trade it back when you leave? or is it gone for good? |
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Wangja
Joined: 17 May 2004
Location: Seoul, Yongsan
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| Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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Why drive illegally in Korea?
If you injured or kill someone, will the vehicle insurance still pay? Or will the illegal driver?
Would you expect a Korean to drive illegally in your country? |
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dogshed
Joined: 28 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 3:14 am Post subject: |
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| Mercurus wrote: |
| One question... if you "trade" your US DL for a Korean DL... can you trade it back when you leave? or is it gone for good? |
The email I got said they would give your US license back if you show a plane ticket. Does that mean they take back the Korean one? If they do then see my previous post. -Jeff |
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cbinseoul
Joined: 12 Mar 2003
Location: Seoul -
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bluelake
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
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| Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 12:11 am Post subject: |
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| I had heard somewhere that F-5 visa holders didn't have to take the written test--is that correct? |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 12:20 am Post subject: |
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| It depends on your home country if you have to take a written test or not. I'm from the United States, so I had to take the written test in May to get my license. The test was in Englishiand was much shorter than the test in Korean. The license issued me after passing it is good for nine years. |
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big_fella1
Joined: 08 Dec 2005
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| Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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When you reclaim your home license, you are allowed to keep your Korean License. I just changed the address on my Korean DL when I got back here so it obviously wasn't cancelled.
On the written test issue, it depends on which country you are from and what visa you hold. E2 or F2 holders from countries that test Korean's will have to do the written test.
Korea will only issue you an IDP if you have been here for 3 years unless you hold certain visas.
Hope this helps. |
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Carla
Joined: 21 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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| This isn't really a helpful answer, just a general comment, but where I'm from our roads aren't as crowded as Seoul is and I really couldn't see myself driving here. Riding in buses, cabs, and my friends' cars freak me out enough. I take subway when possible. |
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