Korean Job Discussion Forums

[steelhead]

Hey all I just had a run in with the Police, about my lack of insurance and lack of license on my autobike. I was actually under the impression that under 125CC you didnt need insurance... apparently I was wrong.

Not sure if this should be in question and answer but....

what do I have to do to get an international drivers license?

how about insurance?

does it matter that I am not on E2.... mostly just studying Korean currently.

Thanks for your help..

[Grotto]

if you have a valid drivers licence chances are you can just go down to the DMV and they will give you a Korean licence. You do have to fill out some forms, get an eye test done at the hospital and what not but its cheap and the licence is good for 10 years(and you can drive cars too)

I have been told that you can only get an international drivers license in your home country...whether thats true or not I dont know.

You do need insurance on all motorcycles now there are no exceptions(its about 70,000-120,000 won a year)

[chiaa]

[Derrek]

First, you need a license. One office for that is the Kangnam Licensing office near the Samseong/COEX mall stop on the Green line. I got my license there 2 years ago. Used to be that your USA license would work (not sure about other countries) to get you the regular drivers one, but now I hear you must also take a short written test. Have no idea how easy it is, or what -- I got mine earlier.

If you want 125cc or above then you need the motorbike license too. I had one from the states, but the stupid licensing office told me to get a certain form approved from the US Embassy which proved I had a real motorcycle license (looking at the license wasn't good enough for them -- or the were just trying to get rid of me). I went to the embassy, way the heck on the other side of Seoul near Gwanghanmun, and waited until they opened the next morning. They had never heard of such a paper! They asked everyone, too. They ended up having me hand-write a statement that my license was real, photopied it, bound it all together with a special circular staple, and stamped the first page with their seal. It cost maybe 30,000 won? Not sure. Then I took this back to the Kangnam license office. They looked at that thing and called about 3 people over -- then a security guard. No one spoke English. I called a friend, and he informed me that they guard was accusing me of attempting to falsify a document! Well, after all of this crap, I blew my top and basically created a scene until I got my license. I think my friend on the phone was about to die, thinking I was going to be carted away to the police or something.

The military guys can get all of this done on base easily. Us expats usually don't bother even getting a bigger cc license. Now I see why, with all the pain I went through.

I don't have insurance on my current scooter, or a license plate, but I had it for a while on a 600cc yamaha R6 I used to have here. It cost me about $95 I think for the insurance (1 year). I got the minimum, sounds like "check-im-bo-hahm" -- which only covers the other guy. The office I used is here in Bundang. Web site is www.insuworld.co.kr and number is 031-703-8273. They don't speak English.

You will also get hit up for maybe 100,000 won in taxes or so depending on what your scooter costs when you apply for the license plate.

I have a valid Korean MOTORCYCLE license. It is just a car license with a notation near the top left corner that says you are licensed to drive motorbikes (125cc+) also.

[Pyongshin Sangja]

I don't even have a Canadian licence. Plates? Ha. As long as you wear a helmet and stay off the expressways, you won't get stopped.

[ZUL]

LOL, Helmets are overrated!!

Yesterday a cop in a car tried to pull me over while I was riding to Itaewon, I just sped up and wove through traffic until he was out of sight.

FCK em and feed em!!!

[Cymro]

A friend recently got a Korean licence, but he had to take a written test (which he actually failed the first time, despite studying for it, so it's not just a walk in the park).

A few months ago, when I got mine, the only test involved was the eye test, so things have obviously changed.

[maiden's iron]

I got pulled over and put into a cop car for not having a license. The guy said I needed one but the scootah is only about 49 cc. I was treated like a criminal but I knew all along that the guy was just trying to impress his friends and scare me. I was calm througout the ordeal but the guy wanted to charge me 200,000 won for the supposed violation. My Korean friend settled everything. So the guy that pulled you over might have been the kind who like to push their weight around.

A manager at one of the Harley Davidson shops here told me that everyone must take both a written and riding test to get a license for a bike over 125 cc. He made a call to the DMV and was told that it's a new regulation. He recommended taking a 300,000 won course where you learn about safety and where you use the same practice bike to take the test at their site, not the DMV. They have a 99% success rate. I guess there had better be for that kind of money.