Acquisition of Driver's License of the Republic of Korea
Procedure for the driver's license tests- The driver's license tests are largely divided into an aptitude test, written test, driving course test and on-road driving exam. A person should pass all such tests to obtain a driver's license (Article 83 of the Road Traffic Act).
Exemption from driver's license tests- Persons subject to the exemption from driver's license tests
· Aperson with a foreign driver's license who ① completes theregistration for residency in the Republic of Korea, ② is registered as aforeigner or exempted from being registered as a foreigner, ③ recognized as a refugee, or ④reports his/her residency in the Republic of Koreaas an overseas Korean shall be exempted from some driver's license tests(subparagraph 3 of Article 84 (1) of the Road Traffic Act).
- Scope of the exemption of persons with a foreign driver's license from driver's license tests
· Ifa foreigner with a foreign driver's license intends to obtain a driver'slicense of the Republic of Korea, he/she may be exempted from part of driver'slicense tests and the scope of the exemption varies depending on whether thecountry thatissued the foreign driver'slicense is included in the countries that recognize Korean driver’s licenses (Main Text of Article 84, paragraph 2 of the RoadTraffic Act, and Article 52, paragraph 1 and Attached Table 3 of theEnforcement Decree of the Road Traffic Act).
※ Which countries recognize Korean driver’s license?
Thecountry that issued the foreign driver’s license and exemptsall procedures required for the driver’s license test, exceptfor the aptitude test, for those who hold a driver’s license of theRepublic of Korea (refer to the Main Text of Article 84, paragraph 2 of theRoad traffic Act).
※ Visit the website and go to “Driver's License" through so as to check the countries that recognize Korean driver’s licenses.
※ Foreigndriver’s license held by those who hold the status of sojournfor the purpose of Diplomacy (A-1), Official Affairs (A-2), A Pact or Agreement(A-3), Intra-company Transfer (D-7), Corporate Investment (D-8),Trade/Management (D-9), Professor (E-1), Research (E-3), Technology Transfer(E-4), Foreign National of Special Ability (E-7) or Overseas Korean (F-4), asset forth in Attached Table 1 of the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration ControlAct, their spouses, and their unmarried children aged 19 or below are deemed tohave been issued by the authorities of the countries that recognize Koreandriver‘s license (conditions under Article 84, paragraph 2 of the Road Traffic Actand Article 52, paragraph 2 of the Enforcement Decree of the Road Traffic Act).
Issuance of driver's license- A person who has passed the driver's license tests shall be issued and receive a driver's license from the chief of a police station or the Road Traffic Authority that held the driver's license tests, within 30 days after the date he/she passed the tests. He/She shall not be able to drive a motor vehicle before receiving a driver's license (Article 77 (1) of the Enforcement Rule of the Road Traffic Act).
- Ifa person with a foreign driver's license obtains a driver's license of theRepublic of Korea afterbeing exempt from part of the driver’s license test, his/her foreigndriver's license shall be retrieved by the Road Traffic Authority (Article 84,paragraph 3 of the Road Traffic Act).