Korean Job Discussion Forums

questionsinkorea · Joined: 15 Jan 2012

I've heard it's very possible for a foreigner to get a drivers license here from scratch, that is, without having ever had a drivers license in their home country.

Has anybody done this, or know the steps it would take/how easy or difficult it would be?

Thanks!

nora · Joined: 14 Apr 2012

Easy, if you know how to drive.

1. Go to the DLA.
2. Watch a semi decent video, subtitled, about driving. It's amusing enough, and the translations are good.
3. Take a computer test. If you have common sense, you'll pass, barely, without studying. Most questions are good, but some are stupid (How do you use the heater?)
4. Do the eye test, fill out the physical eval form.
5. Sign up for and do the course test.
6. If you pass, sign up for and take the road test.
7. If you pass, you get a license.

Between all of this, pay fees. About 50k total.

PM me if you want specific info. I earned mine last summer, even though I already had my home license.

questionsinkorea · Joined: 15 Jan 2012

Best reply on Dave's ever. Thanks so much for the info!!

warmachinenkorea · Joined: 12 Oct 2008

Hugo85 · Joined: 27 Aug 2010

nora · Joined: 14 Apr 2012

Squire · Joined: 26 Sep 2010 Location: Jeollanam-do

What standard of Korean does one need to pass this test?

newb · Joined: 27 Aug 2012 Location: Korea

Ruthdes · Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Location: Seoul

It seems like an important step that has been missed is to learn to drive. OP, can you drive? If not, you'll need to go to a driving hagwon. Maybe someone who's done that can comment?

Also, nora, I don't know if you got lucky with the questions you had to answer, but there were enough in there that were so completely non-nonsensical (Konglish) you couldn't answer, or not common sense (how many meters before a school does the speed limit reduce? - I can't remember the choices, but it wasn't something you could just know), that I failed first time. I posted in a thread a week or two ago with two really useful links for studying for the test, so if you're worried about the written test OP, I'd check those out.

andrewchon · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 7:05 pm Post subject:

Try this for a question:
You are at a cross section, no lights, no signs, you are about to enter the cross section going straight, opposite you there is a car in the process of turning left but not yet in your lane. who has the right of way?

nora · Joined: 14 Apr 2012

Ruthdes, I had some pretty stupid ones - how do you use the heater, what's the proper way to check your oil (although important, not important for actual driving), as well as some others I can't recall.

As far as the test itself, I was really impressed - there was no Konglish or errors to really speak of, but there were some words I didn't know. Found out after the fact that they were British words, not NA words - but I could read around it for context.

I did mine in Yongin on the computer last summer. Maybe different locations, using an old paper test, different version of the test, idk. I barely passed though, with a 78%. I think one more weird question would have failed me.

The other thing is, not to call you out, but questions like where do you slow down ARE fairly important. I didn't know exactly, BUT if you know the system where you are from, it's fairly similar. If in doubt, Korean safety for driving is actually a bit stricter. Speed limits are lower than you'd thing, stopping distances are further, etc.

As far as driving hagwons go, I would skip it. Like all hagwons, they teach to the test. If you don't know how to drive, it's not going to teach you how - at least not in the way you expect. Personally, I'd get a friend with experience to teach if you don't know how, or find a hagwon that has on the road driving with experienced instructors. Really do your homework. A friend of mine mentioned his wife's experience in a driving hagwon. The most important thing she took away from it was the instructors comment that he had been driving his whole life without a single accident, and that it was just as likely that he'd be killed that day in an accident. If you can find a hagwon where the instructors are that serious and honest, that's the place you want.

Andrew - whoever is at the intersection first has the right of way. If you get there at the same time, the person on the right has the right of way. If you're opposite each other, the one going straight has the right of way. If the person turning is already in the turn, then they finish it. Of course, if you come to an intersection with no signals/signs, then you slow/stop and check for traffic. Coming from the country, my cousin was killed in this kind of accident. Corn all around, two cars came to the intersection and neither stopped.

CrikeyKorea · Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Location: Heogi, Seoul

I did it from scratch in 09 including driving hagwon- which was pretty good in ensuring I got 100% on my practical and real driving tests, definitely helpful if you can't drive at all... I posted replies on it I think in 2010 if you search...

CrikeyKorea · Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Location: Heogi, Seoul

I did it from scratch in 09 including driving hagwon- which was pretty good in ensuring I got 100% on my practical and real driving tests, definitely helpful if you can't drive at all... I posted replies on it I think in 2010 if you search...

edsel · Joined: 15 Jul 2009 Location: IRELAND

Did a search and couldn't find anything.
Could someone recommend a good English speaking driving hagwon?
Also, anyone got an estimation on cost? Will be starting from scratch.