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antgonz
Joined: 30 Nov 2007
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 Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:32 am Post subject: Is it worth getting an International Driver's License? |
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| Is it hard to rent a car or buy one if you are not a Korean Citizen? Do many of you use the subway and think it is sufficient? Do the subways connect to outer cities or no? I am thinking of getting an International Driver's License but I want to see if it is worth it before I leave. Would I need an International Driver's License if I were to buy a motorbike or motorcycle there? |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:53 am Post subject: Re: Is it worth getting an International Driver's License? |
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| antgonz wrote: |
| Is it hard to rent a car or buy one if you are not a Korean Citizen? Do many of you use the subway and think it is sufficient? Do the subways connect to outer cities or no? I am thinking of getting an International Driver's License but I want to see if it is worth it before I leave. Would I need an International Driver's License if I were to buy a motorbike or motorcycle there? |
It's pretty easy to change your license over to a Korean one and it'll be valid for a long time. Like 8 or 11 years or something. Then upon return to your home country, you can just change it back. An international driver's license is only valid for a year and it's main purpose is for people who are travelling instead of working in one destination. |
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antgonz
Joined: 30 Nov 2007
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| Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:06 am Post subject: |
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| Cool so I can go to their DMV or government office where they issue them and get one? |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:52 am Post subject: |
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| antgonz wrote: |
| Cool so I can go to their DMV or government office where they issue them and get one? |
Yes. It's pretty easy. Just as long as your current country's license hasn't exprired. |
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TheChickenLover
Joined: 17 Dec 2007
Location: The Chicken Coop
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| Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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If you have a work visa you'll need a Korean license. The int'l one is for tourists. You are not a tourist. If you get caught, you can be fined. If you have an accident, you'll goto jail until you can pay your blood money because you'll have no insurance backing you up.
It's not hard to get a Korean one. You get to keep your old license.
Chicken |
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anyangoldboy
Joined: 28 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="TheChickenLover"]If you have a work visa you'll need a Korean license. The int'l one is for tourists. You are not a tourist. If you get caught, you can be fined. If you have an accident, you'll goto jail until you can pay your blood money because you'll have no insurance backing you up.
It's not hard to get a Korean one. You get to keep your old license.
Chicken[/quote]
The only problem is that if you get a korean drivers licence you arent allowed to rent a car for a year |
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TheChickenLover
Joined: 17 Dec 2007
Location: The Chicken Coop
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| Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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That's not really a problem. BUY a car! There are always some noobs who come here every year, drive with their int'l permits & say "Hey, it's not a problem to use it." That is until they get into an accident. The police see he is living here on a visa which and do not accept the int'l license as valid. No insurance, demands of money are made which he can't really refuse since he wasnt' supposed to be driving & ends up in jail until he pays the blood money.
Gets out of jail, comes onto this board & whines about how unfair life is to him.
The reality is you MUST have a Korean license if you live & work here. Don't be cheap & just buy a used car. You'll be much happier with it. And PLEASE buy insurance at the best package you can buy. I paid something stupidly cheap like 500k won for the year with their maximum coverage. If I ever have an accident, I'm 100% covered. Life is much less stressful that way. If you try to save a few bucks & get unlucky or some guy says you scratched his car, you're fooked.
Chicken
Chicken |
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Suwoner10
Joined: 10 Dec 2007
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| Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Jesus is MY car insurance. |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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| Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Don't forget that an IDL is not valid in the jurisdiction in which it is issued. |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Does Canada accept a Korean DL in exchange for a provincial DL? If you plan to stay a while in Korea and eventually want to go back to Canada and get a DL again that's not subject to graduated licensing, you might want to look into this. A way to stave off being off the driving radar. Apparently the new Foreigner Help Center in Seoul will do the paper work for you. |
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