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  • Gas Stations in Korea: Fuel Types, Prices and Self-Service

    Gas Stations in Korea: Fuel Types, Prices and Self-Service

    The first fill-up in a Korean rental car comes with a few practical problems. The fuel names are in Korean, some pumps are self-service, and prices vary from station to station. A free public price site, Opinet, answers most of it, though it’s in Korean too.

    This guide covers the Korean fuel names, what Korea’s safety rules require at self-service pumps, how to check prices on Opinet and what a trip is likely to cost.

    How we checked

    Prices come from Opinet (오피넷), the fuel price service run by the Korea National Oil Corporation, a public corporation. We checked its nationwide averages on October 22, 2026. The pump rules come from Annex 13 of the Enforcement Rule of the Dangerous Substances Safety Management Act (위험물안전관리법 시행규칙), in the version in force since July 1, 2026.

    The fuel economy example uses Hyundai Korea’s official rating for the new Avante, and the rental section uses Lotte Rent-a-Car’s English page. We didn’t use prices or claims from news reports or station chains.

    Fuel names in Korean

    Opinet uses these names for road fuels. The averages include VAT.

    FuelKoreanAvg. price (won/L)
    Regular gasoline휘발유 (보통휘발유)1,855.87 (Oct 22)
    Premium gasoline고급휘발유2,397.46 (Oct 21)
    Diesel경유 (자동차용경유)1,842.47 (Oct 22)
    LPG (autogas)LPG1,143.84 (Oct 22)

    The premium figure comes from Opinet’s daily statistics page, which showed October 21 as its latest day. The others are the averages on Opinet’s front page on October 22.

    Diesel is 경유 (gyeong-yu) and gasoline is 휘발유 (hwi-bal-yu). The two words look nothing like their English names, so learn them before your first stop. If you’re not sure which fuel your rental takes, ask at pickup.

    Rules at every gas station

    Section II of Annex 13 requires every gas station to post a sign reading 주유중엔진정지, “engine off while refueling,” in black on yellow. It must also post a sign marking the station as a no-smoking area. Switch the engine off before you start.

    Self-service pumps

    Korea has both full-service and self-service stations. Opinet’s station search can filter for full-service (일반) or self-service (셀프) stations, so you can choose before you arrive. At a full-service pump, an attendant fills the car for you.

    Section XV of Annex 13 sets the standards for self-service pumps. Among them:

    • The nozzle stops automatically when the tank is full.
    • If a nozzle can be latched open, fueling must stop automatically when it leaves the filler neck.
    • The pump must have a structure to prevent mixing up gasoline and diesel.
    • Each session is capped at 100 liters and 4 minutes for gasoline, and 600 liters and 12 minutes for diesel.

    Signs next to a self-service pump must say customers can fill up themselves and show where to stop the car. Instructions and the fuel type must be shown near the hose. Where a station also has staff-only pumps, those must be marked as not for customer use.

    The station must have a monitoring booth that can see every self-service pump. The booth needs a control that stops fuel to all of them and a speaker system to give customers instructions.

    The misfuel safeguard is a requirement for the equipment, not a guarantee, so read the nozzle label anyway. If you think you’ve put in the wrong fuel, tell the staff and call your rental company before you drive off.

    Checking prices with Opinet

    Opinet’s website is in Korean. Its front page shows today’s nationwide average for gasoline, diesel and LPG, and averages by province.

    The station search (싼 주유소찾기, “find a cheap station”) lists stations in an area with their prices. It can also filter for extras such as a car wash, a convenience store or stations open 24 hours. On October 22, 2026, the lowest gasoline price on the front page was 1,765 won and the highest was 2,549 won, so the gap between stations can be large.

    Opinet also has a menu where rule violations by stations are made public (불법행위공표). We didn’t review those listings, but you can check them before choosing a station.

    How much will a trip cost?

    Divide the distance by the car’s fuel economy to get liters, then multiply by the price. For example, a 400 km drive in a car rated at 14.3 km/L, at 1,855.87 won a liter, comes to about 51,900 won by our calculation, rounded to the nearest 100 won.

    The 14.3 km/L figure is the official Korean combined rating for the new 2.0 gas Avante on 16-inch wheels. Our guide to the new Avante and the Elantra has the rest of its specs. Official figures come from a standard test, so real driving can differ.

    Trip fuel cost estimator

    Enter your distance and your car’s fuel economy. The price starts at Opinet’s nationwide average for the fuel you pick, and you can change it to the price at your station. Changing the fuel resets the price.

    Default prices: Opinet (Korea National Oil Corporation) nationwide averages shown on October 22, 2026, including VAT: regular gasoline 1,855.87, diesel 1,842.47 and LPG 1,143.84 won per liter. Prices change daily. The default 14.3 km/L is the official Korean combined rating for the 2.0 gas Hyundai Avante on 16-inch wheels. Results are estimates, not quotes.

    The estimator works in km/L because that’s how Korean ratings are published. If you think in US mpg, our Kia K8 guide has a converter that turns km/L into mpg.

    LPG and electric cars

    Opinet lists LPG separately from gasoline and diesel, and its station search has a separate tab for LPG filling stations (충전소). If your rental runs on LPG, plan your stops with that tab. The Hyundai Grandeur and the Kia K8 are both offered with LPG engines in Korea, as our list of Korea-only Hyundai and Kia models shows.

    LPG filling stations come under a separate gas safety law, so the gas station rules above don’t describe them. If you’re driving an electric car, our guide to EV charging in Korea covers chargers and rates.

    Filling up a rental car

    How full the tank should be when you return the car, and what you pay if it isn’t, depends on your rental contract. When we checked Lotte Rent-a-Car’s English rental page on October 9, 2026, it said fuel charges after a key-drop return are billed to your registered card.

    Read the fuel section of your own contract before you set off. Our guide to renting a car in Korea covers what the law requires of rental companies and what comes from their own terms.

    Before you pull in

    • Know your fuel: 휘발유 for gasoline, 경유 for diesel.
    • Check the station type and price on Opinet if you have time.
    • Turn the engine off before fueling.
    • At a self-service pump, read the nozzle label before you start.
    • Keep your rental contract’s fuel rule in mind before the last fill-up.

    Last checked: October 22, 2026. Sources: Opinet, Korea National Oil Corporation (front-page averages for October 22, 2026, daily average price statistics for October 21, 2026, and station search; in Korean); Enforcement Rule of the Dangerous Substances Safety Management Act, Annex 13, sections II and XV (Korean Law Information Center, in Korean); Hyundai Korea all-new Avante price list (fuel economy); Lotte Rent-a-Car English rental page (checked October 9, 2026, for our rental guide).

  • Car Seat Laws in Korea: Rules for Driving With Kids

    Car Seat Laws in Korea: Rules for Driving With Kids

    Korean law requires a child seat for young children, but the details that matter to visiting families are easy to miss. Who gets fined, which seats count, and what happens in a taxi are all spelled out in the law, mostly in Korean.

    Below: the age limit, the certification rule for the seat itself, the taxi exception and the fines, each tied to the article it comes from.

    The short answer

    • Under 6: the child must ride in a child restraint fitted to the seat.
    • 6 and older: a seat belt in every seat, front and back.
    • The driver is responsible. The fine for an unbelted passenger under 13 is KRW 60,000, charged to the driver.
    • The seat must be certified in Korea. The rule names Korea’s own safety certification for children’s products.
    • Taxis and buses have a narrow exception for the driver, not a general one for children.

    What the law says

    Article 50(1) of the Road Traffic Act (도로교통법) requires every driver to wear a seat belt and to make sure passengers in all seats wear one too. The rule doesn’t apply to motorcycles.

    For a child under 6, the article says “seat belt” means the belt used after a child restraint (유아보호용 장구) is fitted. A belt alone doesn’t meet the rule at that age.

    The age comes from Article 11(1), which defines 영유아 (infants and young children) as anyone under 6. Article 50(1) also allows exceptions for illness and for situations set by ministry rule, covered further down.

    How the age is counted

    Korea’s Civil Act counts age in full years from the date of birth (Article 158, revised in 2022). That is the same way most countries count.

    So the car seat rule applies until the child’s sixth birthday. The older “Korean age” count doesn’t apply.

    After that, the child moves to the ordinary seat belt rule. These articles set no booster stage between 6 and adulthood. Whether a 6- or 7-year-old still fits an adult belt safely is a separate question from what the law requires.

    The seat itself has to be certified in Korea

    Article 30 of the Enforcement Rule of the Road Traffic Act (도로교통법 시행규칙), revised in 2022, says the child restraint must have safety certification under Article 17 of the Special Act on the Safety of Children’s Products (어린이제품 안전 특별법).

    That is a Korean certification. A December 2019 survey report by the Korea Consumer Agency, written before this rule change, lists car seats among the safety-certified children’s products, the highest level of control, and refers to certified seats as KC-certified.

    What about a seat you bring from home? The rule’s wording names only the Korean certification. It doesn’t mention seats certified to European (ECE) or US standards, and we found no official guidance on how police treat them.

    If this matters for your trip, ask the Korean National Police Agency, which enforces the rule. Don’t rely on a rental company or a seller to answer it.

    Taxis and buses

    You may read that taxis are exempt from the car seat law. The rule text is narrower than that.

    Article 31 of the Enforcement Rule lists when a driver doesn’t have to make passengers buckle up. Item 8 covers drivers of commercial passenger vehicles, such as taxis and buses. It applies when a passenger is drunk or otherwise can’t be made to wear a belt, or when the driver has told passengers to wear one and they don’t.

    So the exception lifts the driver’s duty once they have told you to buckle up. It doesn’t make riding without a restraint allowed or safe. It means the fine can’t land on the taxi driver.

    None of these articles require a taxi to carry a child seat either. If you want one, plan to bring or book it.

    Separately, Article 31 lists other exceptions, such as a person who is injured, ill, disabled or pregnant and judged unsuitable for a seat belt, and emergency vehicles on duty.

    Fines

    Article 160(2), item 2, of the act allows a fine of up to KRW 200,000 on a driver who fails to make passengers wear seat belts. The actual amounts are in Annex 6 of the Enforcement Decree (도로교통법 시행령), item 9, in the version in force since October 2, 2026:

    Unbelted passengerFine to the driver
    Under 13KRW 60,000
    13 or olderKRW 30,000

    Because Article 50(1) defines a young child’s seat belt as the belt used with a child restraint, a child under 6 without one falls under the under-13 line. That is our reading of how the two provisions fit together. The Korea Consumer Agency’s car seat report cites the same KRW 60,000 figure.

    These are administrative fines (과태료) on the driver, whether or not they own the car. The duty sits with the driver, so a parent riding as a passenger doesn’t shift it. The driver’s own unbelted fine comes under a different provision and isn’t covered here.

    Renting a car with children

    If you plan to rent, ask about child seats when you book, not at the counter. Check that the seat you are given carries the KC mark, since Korean certification is what the rule names.

    Whether a seat costs extra, and what happens if it is damaged, depends on your rental contract. Our guide to renting a car in Korea covers what the law requires of rental companies and what comes from their own terms.

    If something goes wrong on the road, our guide to what to do after a car accident in Korea sets out the steps the law requires and when you must call the police.

    Before you drive

    • Count each child’s age from their birthday. Under 6 means a car seat.
    • Look for the KC mark on any seat you rent or buy in Korea.
    • If you are bringing a seat from home, ask the police how it is treated before you rely on it.
    • Make sure everyone in the back seats is belted, not just the front.
    • For taxis, plan to bring or book a seat. The law doesn’t require the taxi to have one.

    Last checked: October 21, 2026. Sources: Road Traffic Act, Articles 11, 50 and 160, Enforcement Decree of the Road Traffic Act, Annex 6, Enforcement Rule of the Road Traffic Act, Articles 30 and 31 and Civil Act, Article 158 (Korean Law Information Center, in Korean); Korea Consumer Agency, survey report on child restraints for cars, December 2019 (in Korean); Korean National Police Agency (English).

  • Google Maps Driving in Korea: Why It Fails and What to Use

    Google Maps Driving in Korea: Why It Fails and What to Use

    Google Maps won’t give you driving directions in Korea yet. You can search for places and get public transit routes, but the car mode returns nothing. To drive, you need a Korean navigation app, and some of them work in English.

    What Google Maps can and can’t do in Korea

    We checked Google Maps on the web on October 20, 2026, with a route from Seoul Station to Busan. Only the transit tab returned routes, mostly KTX trains at just under three hours. The car, walking and cycling tabs were grayed out with no time shown.

    So Google Maps is still useful for looking up a place, reading reviews or checking a train. It just can’t guide you turn by turn behind the wheel.

    The reason: Korea’s map export rules

    Korea restricts taking detailed map data out of the country. Google says it can display Korean maps using 1:5,000 data bought from SK TMAP, but calculating routes needs the data in Google’s global data centers. That requires export approval.

    On February 27, 2026, a government committee set up under Korea’s Spatial Information Act approved Google’s request to export 1:5,000 map data, with conditions. The exported data is limited to the base map and road and transport network needed for navigation. Military and security sites must be blurred, and Google must remove or limit how coordinates are displayed for places in Korea.

    The joint government release adds that the data leaves Korea only after the government confirms those conditions are met. So approval wasn’t the same as launch. When we checked in October 2026, the car option still showed nothing.

    Korean navigation apps compared

    We compared four major Korean apps. The table shows what each app’s US App Store listing says. “Not stated” doesn’t mean no. It means the developer doesn’t say so on the listing.

    AppApp Store languagesEnglish navigation (developer text)CarPlay
    NAVER MapsEnglish + 3 moreStated: “English navigation provided”Mentioned in release notes
    KakaoMapEnglish and KoreanNot statedNot mentioned in description or latest notes
    Kakao Navi (카카오내비)English, Japanese and KoreanNot statedMentioned in release notes
    TMAP (티맵)English and KoreanNot statedMentioned in release notes

    Source: each app’s US App Store page, checked October 20, 2026. We didn’t check Android Auto. If you use Android, look at the Google Play listing on your phone.

    NAVER Maps

    NAVER Maps is the only one of the four whose listing explicitly mentions English navigation. It also offers maps in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese. That makes it the most clearly documented option if you don’t read Korean.

    Its October 2026 update added alerts for parking enforcement cameras near your destination and after arrival. For where you can’t stop and what a ticket costs, see our parking rules guide.

    KakaoMap and Kakao Navi

    KakaoMap’s listing says navigation is built in, so you don’t need a separate app to get directions. It lists English as an interface language, but doesn’t say whether spoken directions come in English.

    Kakao Navi is Kakao’s dedicated driving app, with CarPlay and guidance voice updates in its release notes. One note adds a voice warning after you pass a rear-facing enforcement camera. On the US App Store, it appears under its Korean name, 카카오내비.

    TMAP

    TMAP shares its name with SK TMAP, whose 1:5,000 data Google says it uses to display Korean maps. The app’s release notes mention CarPlay and highway rest stop information. It’s listed under its Korean name, 티맵, so that name may help you find it.

    As with both Kakao apps, the listing doesn’t state English voice guidance. If you can’t read Korean at all, test any of these three before relying on it for a long drive.

    Set it up before you drive

    The easiest time to set up is at your hotel, with no one waiting behind you.

    • Install and switch the language first. Download your app and set it to English before you pick up the car.
    • Save your destinations. Bookmark your hotel and first few stops while you’re still on Wi-Fi.
    • Keep the Korean name handy. Copy the Korean name or address from your booking. English spellings of Korean places vary, so the Korean version is usually easier to match.
    • Bring a phone mount. Korean law limits what you can do with a phone while driving (see the next section).

    Phone rules while driving

    Under the Road Traffic Act, Article 49(1):

    • No handheld phone use while driving. Exceptions include when the car is stopped, urgent reports such as crimes or disasters, and devices set by presidential decree that don’t interfere with safe driving.
    • Navigation on screen is allowed when the screen is mounted or cradled in the car.
    • No operating the screen while driving, with limited exceptions such as when the car is stopped.

    The simple rule: set or change your route only when you’re stopped. Mount the phone where you can see it, and let voice guidance do the work.

    Cameras, tolls and charging on your route

    Camera alerts in navigation apps are a reminder, not a guarantee. Our guide to speed cameras in Korea explains speed limits, fines and who gets the ticket when you’re driving a rental.

    Long drives often use toll highways. Our Korea highway tolls guide explains Hi-Pass, toll tickets and what happens with unpaid tolls. If you’re driving an EV, our EV charging guide compares public vs. private rates and shows how to pay.

    What about the rental car’s built-in navigation?

    If your rental has a built-in navigation screen, ask at pickup whether it has an English option. Our car rental guide for foreigners covers the documents and rules to check at the counter.

    When will Google Maps add driving directions?

    Google hasn’t given a date. In an August 25, 2026 Korea Herald report, Google confirmed its plan includes turn-by-turn navigation, but didn’t say when it would launch.

    Until then, plan your trip around a Korean app. We’ll update this guide when Google’s driving mode goes live in Korea.

    Last checked: October 20, 2026. Sources: joint government release on Google’s 1:5,000 map export approval (February 27, 2026, Ministry of Foreign Affairs posting, Korean); Google Korea blog Q&A on map data (August 5, 2025, Korean); Road Traffic Act Article 49 (Korean); US App Store pages for NAVER Maps, KakaoMap, Kakao Navi and TMAP; The Korea Herald (August 25, 2026); our own Google Maps web route check on October 20, 2026.

  • Car Accident in Korea: What to Do and When to Call the Police

    Car Accident in Korea: What to Do and When to Call the Police

    Most drivers know to stop after a crash. Fewer know what Korean law expects next: who you must help, what you must hand over, and when a call to the police is required rather than optional.

    This guide walks through those steps in order, using the Road Traffic Act and the two laws that decide what happens afterward. It also covers how insurance changes the criminal side of an injury crash.

    The short answer

    • Stop immediately, help anyone who is hurt, and give the other party your name, phone number and address.
    • Report to the police unless only vehicles were damaged and you have made the road safe. Any injury means you report.
    • On expressways, put out a warning triangle behind the car and move people behind the guardrail.
    • Failing to stop, help the injured or give your details is a crime, with up to five years in prison or a fine of up to KRW 15 million.
    • If someone is injured, insurance can keep a careless driver from being prosecuted, but not in twelve listed situations, not after a death, and not if the driver fled.

    Right after the crash

    On an expressway, get people to safety first (see the next section). Then the legal duties apply.

    Article 54(1) of the Road Traffic Act (도로교통법) applies whenever a vehicle injures or kills someone or damages property. The driver, and other crew if there are any, must stop at once and do two things.

    Help the injured. The law says to take the necessary steps to aid casualties. In practice that starts with calling 119, which handles ambulances and rescue.

    Give your details to the victim. The article means details such as your name, phone number and address. If the other driver isn’t there, as with a parked car you have scraped, you still have to leave your details. Doing nothing in that case is a separate offense under Article 156, item 10, punishable by a fine of up to KRW 200,000, detention or a minor fine.

    Making the scene safe

    On expressways and motor-vehicle-only roads, Article 66 of the act requires a driver whose car can’t move to set out a warning sign and move the car off the expressway or take other necessary steps.

    Article 40 of the Enforcement Rule (도로교통법 시행규칙) names the sign: a safety triangle. At night you also need a red flare, flashing light or electric lamp that can be seen from 500 meters away in every direction (about 1,640 feet, our conversion). Both go where drivers coming from behind can see them.

    The Korea Expressway Corporation gives this order on its secondary-accident prevention page:

    • Turn on your hazard lights.
    • Move the car to the shoulder or another safe spot.
    • Put the triangle behind the car, plus a flare at night.
    • Get everyone out and behind the guardrail.
    • Report to 112 (police) and 119 (fire and ambulance), and call 1588-2504 for emergency towing.

    The same page says a crash into a car or person already stopped after an earlier accident or breakdown is about six times as deadly as an ordinary crash. Standing next to a damaged car in a live lane is the risk this order is built to avoid.

    When you must report to the police

    Article 54(2) requires the driver to report without delay to an officer at the scene, or to the nearest police station if none is there. Small local police boxes (지구대, 파출소) count. The report covers:

    • where the crash happened
    • how many people were hurt or killed, and how badly
    • what was damaged, and how badly
    • what else you have done

    The one exception. You don’t have to report when it is clear that only vehicles were damaged and you have taken the steps needed to prevent danger and keep traffic moving. If anyone is hurt, even slightly, the exception doesn’t apply. The same goes for damage to anything other than a vehicle, such as a guardrail or wall.

    Failing to report when you must is punishable under Article 154, item 4, by a fine of up to KRW 300,000 or detention. Calling 112 reaches the police directly.

    The police may ask you to wait at the scene until an officer arrives (Article 54(3)), and officers there can give you instructions for helping the injured and keeping traffic safe (Article 54(4)).

    In an emergency, call 112 or 119 first. The Korean National Police Agency’s English site also lists 1330, the Foreign Tourist Information line.

    Leaving the scene

    Driving off without stopping, helping the injured or giving your details is covered by Article 148. The penalty is up to five years in prison or a fine of up to KRW 15 million.

    The article carves out one case: a crash where only a parked or stopped car was damaged and the driver failed to leave details. That case falls under the smaller Article 156 offense described above. It is still an offense, so leave a note with your name and number, or wait for the owner.

    If someone is injured: how insurance affects prosecution

    Injuring someone through negligent driving can be a crime in Korea, under Article 268 of the Criminal Act. The Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents (교통사고처리 특례법) sets the penalty and then limits when prosecutors can use it.

    The penalty. Article 3(1) sets up to five years’ imprisonment (without labor) or a fine of up to KRW 20 million when a driver causes death or injury through negligence while driving.

    The victim’s wishes. Under Article 3(2), a driver who carelessly injures someone, or carelessly damages property (Road Traffic Act Article 151), can’t be prosecuted against the victim’s clearly stated wishes, unless an exception below applies.

    Insurance. Article 4 goes further. It applies when the car is covered by insurance or a mutual-aid scheme that pays the victim’s full medical costs up front and, in the end, the full damages set by a court. Then the driver can’t be prosecuted for those offenses, unless an exception below applies. The insurer must confirm the cover in writing.

    Where neither protection applies. Both rules cover injury and property damage only. They don’t cover a death. They also fall away in these cases:

    SituationWhere it comes from
    Leaving without helping the victim, or moving and abandoning themArt. 3(2), proviso
    Refusing or obstructing a breath test for alcohol (unless you asked for or agreed to a blood test)Art. 3(2), proviso
    Running a signal or ignoring an officer’s signal, or ignoring a no-entry or stop signArt. 3(2), item 1
    Crossing the center line, or an illegal U-turn, crossing or reversing on an expresswayItem 2
    Driving more than 20 km/h over the limitItem 3
    Illegal overtaking or cutting inItem 4
    Breaking the rules at a railroad crossingItem 5
    Failing to protect a pedestrian on a crosswalkItem 6
    Driving without a license, or without carrying an international driving permitItem 7
    Driving drunk or impaired by drugsItem 8
    Driving onto a sidewalkItem 9
    Failing to prevent passengers from falling outItem 10
    Injuring a child in a children’s protection (school) zone through a breach of the duty of careItem 11
    Failing to secure cargoItem 12

    Insurance protection also ends under Article 4(1) if the victim’s injury becomes life-threatening, leaves them disabled, or causes an incurable or hard-to-cure illness. It ends as well if the policy is void or cancelled, or the insurer owes nothing because of an exclusion in the contract.

    Item 7 matters for visitors. Its wording covers driving without an international driving permit on you. Our guide to Korea’s international driving permit rules explains which permits Korea accepts.

    Whether a case falls into any of these categories is decided by the police and prosecutors, not by the other driver or an insurer. If you are told you may be charged, ask the investigating police station what applies to your case, or speak to a lawyer.

    Insurance and rental cars

    The Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation Guarantee Act (자동차손해배상 보장법) makes liability insurance compulsory. Article 5 requires every owner to carry cover for death and injury to others, plus cover for damage to others’ property. Rental companies must also carry extra injury cover above the compulsory limit (Article 5(3)).

    Under Article 10, a victim can claim directly from the at-fault driver’s insurer rather than waiting for the driver to pay. If someone is injured or killed by a car whose owner can’t be identified, or by an uninsured driver, Article 30 lets the government pay compensation up to the compulsory insurance limit. This covers injury and death, not damage to vehicles.

    If you were driving a rental, call the company as soon as everyone is safe. What its insurance covers, the deductible on damage to the car itself, and charges for the days it is off the road all come from your contract. Our guide to renting a car in Korea goes through those terms in the government’s model rental contract.

    What to record before you leave

    Do this only where it is safe. On an expressway, move first and take photos later. None of it is a legal requirement, but it makes the police report and any insurance claim easier.

    • Photos of both cars, their positions on the road, plates and any skid marks or debris
    • The other driver’s name, phone number and insurer
    • Names and numbers of witnesses
    • Dashcam footage, saved before it is overwritten
    • The name of the police station or officer handling the report

    Before you drive

    • Check that the car has a warning triangle, and a red flare or flashing lamp if you will drive on expressways at night.
    • Save 112, 119, 1330 and, for expressways, 1588-2504 in your phone.
    • If you rent, note the company’s accident number from the contract.
    • Keep your international driving permit with you, not in your luggage.

    Last checked: October 18, 2026. Sources: Road Traffic Act, Articles 54, 66, 148, 151, 154 and 156, Enforcement Rule of the Road Traffic Act, Article 40, Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents, Articles 3 and 4 and Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation Guarantee Act, Articles 5, 10 and 30 (Korean Law Information Center, in Korean); Korea Expressway Corporation, secondary-accident prevention page (in Korean); Korean National Police Agency (English).

  • Parking in Korea: Where You Can’t Stop and What a Ticket Costs

    Parking in Korea: Where You Can’t Stop and What a Ticket Costs

    Many of Korea’s no-parking rules are distances written into the law. Within 5 meters of an intersection corner, within 10 meters of a bus stop or crosswalk, and on the sidewalk, you can’t even stop. These distances come from the law itself, so they apply whether or not a sign is posted.

    This guide covers where stopping and parking are banned and what a ticket costs for a car. It also explains towing, and who gets the bill when the car was a rental.

    The short answer

    • No stopping, no parking: intersections, crosswalks, railroad crossings, sidewalks, and set distances from corners, bus stops, crosswalks and fire hydrants. Children’s protection zones count too.
    • Cost for a passenger car: KRW 40,000 for most spots, KRW 80,000 at a marked fire-facility spot, and KRW 120,000 in a children’s protection zone between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Each rises by KRW 10,000 if the car stays two hours or more in the same place.
    • Who pays: the fine is issued by the city, county or district office and goes to the person responsible for the car. On a rental, that is normally the renter.
    • Disability parking spaces are covered by a separate law. Parking in one without a permit costs KRW 100,000.

    Stopping and parking are different things

    Article 2 of the Road Traffic Act (도로교통법) defines both. Stopping (정차) means halting the car for no more than 5 minutes, in a way that isn’t parking.

    Parking (주차) is keeping the car stationary to wait for passengers, load cargo, deal with a breakdown or for any other reason. It also covers leaving the car so you can’t drive it away at once. So stepping away from the car, even briefly, can make a stop count as parking.

    The difference matters because the law has two lists. Some places ban both, and some ban parking only.

    Where you can’t stop or park

    Article 32 of the Road Traffic Act bans both stopping and parking in these places:

    PlaceDistance
    Intersections, crosswalks and railroad crossingsOn them
    Sidewalks on roads where the sidewalk is separate from the roadwayOn them (except on-street parking lots marked across both)
    The edge of an intersection or a road cornerWithin 5 m
    A safety zone (안전지대)Within 10 m on every side
    A bus stop post, sign or lineWithin 10 m
    The edge of a railroad crossing, or a crosswalkWithin 10 m
    Fire hydrants, water towers and water tanks for firefighting, emergency fire-fighting devices (비상소화장치), and certain fire-department inlets on buildingsWithin 5 m
    Places the provincial police designateAs signed
    Children’s protection zones (school zones) designated by local governmentsInside the zone

    For reference, 5 m is about 16 feet and 10 m about 33 feet (our conversions). The building fire-department inlets are those listed in Article 10-3 of the Enforcement Decree. They include sprinkler and standpipe connections.

    Buses may stop at their own stops to pick up and drop off passengers. Article 32 also allows a stop when you’re following police instructions, or halting briefly to avoid danger.

    Places where you can stop but not park

    Article 33 adds a second list where a quick stop is fine but parking isn’t:

    • Inside tunnels and on bridges
    • Within 5 m of either edge of a road construction area
    • Within 5 m of certain buildings housing multi-use businesses, where the fire department has asked the police to designate the spot
    • Other places the provincial police designate

    When a sign says otherwise

    Signs can open some banned spots. Under Article 34-2, where the provincial police allow stopping or parking by sign, setting the area, hours, method and vehicle type, you may park there. That applies to police-designated spots, children’s protection zones and police-designated no-parking spots.

    The distance rules for corners, crosswalks, bus stops and fire facilities aren’t on that list. Read the sign for the hours and vehicle types it allows.

    How to stop and park legally

    Article 34 and Article 11 of the Enforcement Decree set the basic method. When stopping on a road, pull over to the right edge of the roadway. If the road has no separate sidewalk, leave at least 50 cm (about 20 inches) from the right edge.

    On the road, follow the place, hours and method the provincial police set. Don’t block other traffic.

    On a slope, Article 34-3 requires steps to stop the car rolling, such as placing a wheel chock or turning the wheels toward the edge of the road. That applies to slopes off the road as well.

    What a parking ticket costs

    The amounts below are administrative fines (과태료) under Annexes 6 and 7 of the Enforcement Decree of the Road Traffic Act. The annexes split vehicles into two classes:

    • Passenger car class (승용자동차등): passenger cars and trucks of 4 metric tons or less.
    • Van class (승합자동차등): vans and buses (승합자동차), trucks over 4 metric tons, special vehicles, construction machinery and trams.
    WherePassenger car classVan class
    Most no-stopping and no-parking spotsKRW 40,000 (50,000)KRW 50,000 (60,000)
    Fire-facility spot marked with a safety signKRW 80,000 (90,000)KRW 90,000 (100,000)
    Children’s protection zone, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.KRW 120,000 (130,000)KRW 130,000 (140,000)
    A no-stopping or no-parking spot inside a senior or disability protection zone, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.KRW 80,000 (90,000)KRW 90,000 (100,000)

    Amounts in brackets apply when the car stays in the same place for two hours or more. A fire-facility spot without the safety sign is charged at the ordinary rate.

    Local governments put the safety sign at fire-facility spots they consider especially important for firefighting, under Article 10-3(2) of the decree. Article 88(4) applies the higher protection-zone amounts only from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Senior and disability protection zones don’t ban parking as a whole. Their row applies when you use one of the banned spots listed earlier inside such a zone.

    Outside 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., a children’s protection zone still bans stopping and parking, at the ordinary rate of KRW 40,000 for a car.

    The parking rows of these tables don’t list motorcycles, so this guide covers cars, vans and trucks only.

    Parking fine lookup

    For cars, vans and trucks. Pick where the car was and how long it stayed.

    Amounts from Annexes 6 and 7 of the Enforcement Decree of the Road Traffic Act, and Annex 3 of the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Guarantee of Convenience Promotion for Persons with Disabilities, the Aged and Pregnant Women. Last checked October 16, 2026. This shows the standard amount, not a legal decision. Check the notice for what you actually owe.

    How the ticket reaches you

    Under Article 88(2) of the decree, the local office either puts a notice on the car and photographs it, or records it with enforcement cameras. The fine then goes to the person responsible for the car, not necessarily the driver.

    Annex 8 of the decree also sets a driver’s fine (범칙금) for these violations, which police can issue to an identified driver. That is a separate process with its own amounts. Our guide to speed camera fines explains how the two routes differ, and how early payment can reduce an administrative fine.

    Disability parking spaces

    Disability-only parking spaces (장애인전용주차구역) fall under the Act on Guarantee of Convenience Promotion for Persons with Disabilities, the Aged and Pregnant Women (장애인ㆍ노인ㆍ임산부 등의 편의증진 보장에 관한 법률). Article 17 bans parking there without a disability parking permit. It also bans parking with a permit when no one with a walking disability is in the car.

    The fine is KRW 100,000 in either case, under Annex 3 of that Act’s Enforcement Decree. Blocking a space, for example by leaving objects in it or blocking its access path, costs KRW 500,000.

    Annex 3 lets the issuing office lower or raise these amounts by up to half, depending on the case. A raised fine still can’t exceed the Act’s ceilings of KRW 200,000 and KRW 1,000,000.

    The permit Article 17 refers to is one issued in Korea, by the Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs or a local government head. Article 17 says nothing about foreign permits, so don’t assume yours counts.

    Towing

    Article 35 lets the police and local governments order an illegally parked car moved when it could cause danger or block traffic. In some cases they can change how the car is parked themselves or, where unavoidable, have it moved to a place they designate.

    The office must then tell the car’s user or driver and arrange its return. If no one claims it within one month of that notice, the car can be sold or scrapped.

    Towing, storage and related costs fall on the car’s user. Article 36 lets offices hand towing and storage to contractors. We haven’t checked the amounts, so ask the office named on the notice.

    If you were driving a rental car

    When the violation is shown by photo or video and the driver can’t be identified, Article 160(3) lets the office fine the person responsible for the car, up to KRW 200,000. As our speed camera guide sets out, the law counts a renter as that person. It excludes the rental company when it is clear the company only rented the car out.

    The Korea Fair Trade Commission’s model rental contract names parking fines among the charges the renter owes from the rental period. Ask at pick-up how your company handles fines that arrive after you’ve left Korea. Our guide to renting a car in Korea covers what the law and rental companies each require at pick-up.

    Checking and paying a parking fine

    Article 161(1) assigns parking fines to the mayor, county head or district head (시장등), and to the governor in Jeju. Speed camera fines, by contrast, come from the provincial police. So the office to contact is the one named on your notice.

    Parking fines are local non-tax revenue (세외수입), not taxes. Wetax, Korea’s online site for local taxes, has a menu for local non-tax revenue due (지방세외수입 납부대상). It also has one for submitting an opinion on an administrative fine (과태료 의견제출신청).

    When we opened Wetax on October 16, 2026, we found no English menu. We haven’t confirmed that every parking fine can be paid there, so follow the payment options on your notice. If you think a fine is wrong, contact the issuing office named on the notice. A rental company can tell you what it charges under your contract, but it can’t decide the legal question.

    Before you park

    • Count the meters: 5 m from corners and fire hydrants, 10 m from bus stops and crosswalks.
    • Assume no stopping in a school zone unless a sign says parking is allowed, and remember the higher daytime fines.
    • Leave the car only where parking is allowed. Stepping away from it can turn a stop into parking.
    • Don’t use a disability parking space without a Korean permit.
    • On a slope, turn the wheels toward the curb or use a wheel chock.
    • If you rent, keep your contract and ask how parking fines are passed on.

    Last checked: October 16, 2026. Sources: Road Traffic Act, Articles 2, 32, 33, 34, 34-2, 34-3, 35, 36, 160 and 161, Enforcement Decree of the Road Traffic Act, Articles 10-3, 11 and 88 and Annexes 6, 7 and 8, Framework Act on Firefighting, Article 10, Act on Guarantee of Convenience Promotion for Persons with Disabilities, the Aged and Pregnant Women, Articles 17 and 27 and its Enforcement Decree, Annex 3 (Korean Law Information Center, in Korean); Standard Terms for Car Rental No. 10064 (Korea Fair Trade Commission, in Korean); Wetax (in Korean).

  • EV Charging in Korea: Public vs Private Rates and How to Pay

    EV Charging in Korea: Public vs Private Rates and How to Pay

    Korea’s government EV portal lists more than 100 charging operators, from government agencies to private companies. Each sets its own price, and some charge more if you don’t hold their membership card. Many charger screens are also in Korean.

    This guide uses the Korean government’s official rate table to show what a kilowatt-hour costs, how to pay without a membership card, and the parking rules that can lead to a fine at a charger.

    The short answer

    • Public rate: government-run chargers charge KRW 295 to 393.1 per kWh, depending on charger speed. Members and non-members pay the same.
    • Private rates vary: some private operators charge non-members far more than members. Others charge the same.
    • No membership card: the government’s fast chargers let you pay on the spot with a Korean card that has a postpaid transit function. The official guide doesn’t mention foreign cards.
    • Don’t overstay: leaving a car in a fast-charging space for more than one hour can bring a KRW 100,000 fine.

    Public vs private charging rates

    The Zero Emission Vehicle Portal (무공해차 통합누리집, ev.or.kr) is the government’s EV site. Its charging rate page lists each operator’s price per kWh for five charger speed tiers.

    The government’s own chargers are listed under the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (기후에너지환경부). When we checked on October 13, 2026, these were its rates, last updated July 31, 2026.

    Charger tier (maximum output)Public rate per kWh
    Slow, under 30 kWKRW 295
    Medium, 30 to 49 kWKRW 307.2
    Fast, 50 to 99 kWKRW 325.6
    Fast, 100 to 199 kWKRW 348.4
    Ultra-fast, 200 kW and aboveKRW 393.1

    The non-member column showed the same five numbers. Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO, 한국전력공사) listed the same member rates for its chargers.

    Private operators set their own prices. The portal listed 102 operators. Here are a few examples at the 50 to 99 kW tier, showing how far member and non-member prices can split.

    Operator (as listed)Member price per kWhNon-member price per kWhLast updated
    Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (public)KRW 325.6KRW 325.6July 31, 2026
    NICE Infra (NICE인프라)KRW 320KRW 320August 3, 2026
    LG U+ Volt Up (LG유플러스 볼트업)KRW 350KRW 450July 1, 2026
    GS차지비KRW 325KRW 470September 22, 2026

    These are examples, not a ranking. At these four, the highest non-member price is about 44% above the public rate (470 ÷ 325.6, our arithmetic).

    The portal itself warns that its prices are a guide. On-site prices, promotions, roaming surcharges and membership terms can change what you actually pay. Check the price on the charger screen before you start.

    What that means for one charge

    Adding 30 kWh at a public 50 to 99 kW charger costs about KRW 9,770. The same 30 kWh at KRW 470 costs KRW 14,100. Both figures are our own multiplication. They leave out charging losses and any fees the charger adds.

    The estimator below does the same math with your battery and your price.

    EV charging cost estimator

    Enter your battery size and how far you want to charge. Pick a public rate, or type the price shown on the charger screen.

    Public rates from the Zero Emission Vehicle Portal (ev.or.kr) charging rate table, government chargers, updated July 31, 2026. Last checked October 13, 2026. Charging losses and any extra fees aren’t included, so treat the result as an estimate.

    Paying without a membership card

    The portal lists member and non-member prices, and it also explains roaming. Roaming means using one operator’s membership card at a partner operator’s charger, and you pay the price of whoever runs that charger.

    Getting the government’s own membership card starts with an ev.or.kr account. When we opened the site, its identity checks used a Korean mobile phone or a Korean digital certificate. Without either one, getting the card on a short visit may not be practical. The portal’s call center is 1661-0970, weekdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    The non-member button. The portal’s FAQ says its government-run fast chargers work without a card. You press the non-member (비회원) button on the screen, then pay with a card before charging.

    The FAQ lists the cards it accepts as those with a postpaid transit function (후불교통), meaning the card also works as a pay-later transit card. They come from Shinhan, BC, KB Kookmin, Hyundai Card, Samsung, Lotte, IBK and Citi. All are Korean card issuers. The FAQ doesn’t say whether foreign-issued cards work, and we couldn’t confirm it.

    Private chargers each have their own payment screens, and we haven’t checked them. If you’re renting an EV, ask the rental company how it expects you to pay for charging before you leave the counter. Our guide to what Korean law and rental companies each require when you rent covers the rest of the pick-up process.

    Fast and slow chargers, and which plug fits

    Korean law uses 40 kW as the line between fast and slow. A notice from the industry ministry (산업통상부) defines the two charger types that count under the Eco-Friendly Vehicle Act.

    • Fast charging facilities: 40 kW or more, with a Combo 1 or Combo 2 connector under the Korean standard KS R IEC 62196-3.
    • Slow charging facilities: under 40 kW, with a Type 1 connector under KS R IEC 62196-2, or an outlet that bills for the electricity used.

    The portal’s rate tiers split at different points, so don’t mix the two. The 40 kW line is for the legal rules below, and the tiers are for prices. A charger in the 30 to 49 kW price tier can fall on either side of the 40 kW line, so check its rated output on the unit or screen.

    The portal’s FAQ also notes that fast-charging methods differ by car model. Check which connector your car uses before you pull in. If you rented the car, the rental company can tell you.

    Most government-run fast chargers are open 24 hours, the FAQ says. Some at large discount stores can only be used during store hours.

    Charging-space rules and fines

    The Eco-Friendly Vehicle Act (친환경자동차법) protects charging spaces. Article 11-2 says only EVs and plug-in hybrids may park in a charging space, and it bans blocking a charger. The enforcement decree spells out what counts as blocking, and a ministry notice sets the time limits.

    ViolationFine
    Parking a car that isn’t an EV or plug-in hybrid in a charging spaceKRW 100,000
    An EV or plug-in hybrid still parked at a fast charger after 1 hourKRW 100,000
    At a slow charger, an EV still parked after 14 hours, or a plug-in hybrid after 7 hours (for plug-in hybrids, midnight to 6 a.m. isn’t counted)KRW 100,000
    Blocking a charger or its access with objects or a parked car, or using it for anything but chargingKRW 100,000
    Damaging or erasing the space’s markings, or deliberately damaging the chargerKRW 200,000

    The amounts come from the annex to the enforcement decree. It also lets the local government cut or raise a fine by up to half, within the law’s caps of KRW 200,000 for parking and KRW 1 million for obstruction.

    The slow-charger time limit has an exception. It doesn’t apply to chargers at detached houses, row houses, multi-household houses or apartment complexes with fewer than 100 units.

    These fines are issued by the city, county or district office. Provincial governments are required to mark charging spaces with lines and lettering. If you’re renting, your contract’s section on fines is worth reading. If you think a fine is wrong, the office named on the notice is the one to contact.

    One more cost to know about: EVs get a discount on expressway tolls through 2027, set at 30% for 2026 and 20% for 2027. Our guide to Korea’s highway tolls and Hi-Pass explains how it applies.

    Before you charge

    • Check the price on the charger screen. Operators set their own rates, and non-member prices can be higher.
    • If you don’t have a membership card, government-run fast chargers have a non-member option. Bring a Korean card with a postpaid transit function if you can.
    • Know your car’s connector before you pull into a charging space.
    • Move the car once charging ends. At a fast charger, the limit is one hour.

    Last checked: October 13, 2026. Sources: EV charging rate information and FAQ (Zero Emission Vehicle Portal, in Korean); Eco-Friendly Vehicle Act, Articles 11-2 and 16 and its Enforcement Decree, Articles 18-8 and 21 and Annex; Regulation on the Requirements for Eco-Friendly Vehicles, Articles 6 and 7 (산업통상부 Notice No. 2026-108) (Korean Law Information Center, in Korean).

  • Speed Cameras in Korea: Fines, Speed Limits and Who Gets the Ticket

    Speed Cameras in Korea: Fines, Speed Limits and Who Gets the Ticket

    A speed camera proves a car was speeding. It doesn’t prove who was driving. Korean law handles that with a separate fine for camera cases, sent to whoever is responsible for the car. So after a camera flash, the question is not only how much, but who the bill goes to.

    This guide covers Korea’s default speed limits, the two kinds of speeding penalty, what each one costs, and how it works when the car was a rental.

    The short answer

    • Speed limits: 50 km/h by default in residential, commercial and industrial areas, and up to 100 km/h on most expressways, with 120 km/h on some designated sections. Posted signs can set a different limit.
    • Camera tickets: when the driver isn’t identified, the fine goes to the person responsible for the car, and the law counts a renter as that person.
    • Cost: for a passenger car, KRW 40,000 to 130,000 depending on how far over the limit you were. School zones and senior or disability protection zones cost more between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
    • Rental cars: the government’s model rental contract makes the renter responsible for traffic fines from the rental period, even after the car is returned.

    Speed limits in Korea

    Default limits are set in Article 19 of the Enforcement Rule of the Road Traffic Act (도로교통법 시행규칙). They apply unless a sign says otherwise.

    RoadMaximumMinimum
    Ordinary roads in residential, commercial and industrial areas50 km/h (60 km/h on sections the provincial police designate)None set
    Other ordinary roads60 km/h (80 km/h with two or more lanes each way)None set
    Motor-vehicle-only roads (자동차전용도로)90 km/h30 km/h
    Expressways, one lane each way80 km/h50 km/h
    Expressways, two or more lanes each way100 km/h (80 km/h for trucks over 1.5 metric tons of load capacity, special vehicles, hazardous-materials carriers and construction machinery)50 km/h
    Expressway sections designated by the National Police AgencyUp to 120 km/h (up to 90 km/h for the same vehicle types)50 km/h

    In miles, 30 km/h is about 19 mph, 50 km/h about 31 mph, 100 km/h about 62 mph and 120 km/h about 75 mph (our conversions).

    Bad weather lowers the limit. The same article cuts the maximum by 20% on roads wet from rain or with snow under 20 mm. It cuts it by 50% when heavy rain, snow or fog drops visibility to 100 meters or less, when the road is icy, or when snow is 20 mm or deeper. Where a variable speed limit sign is posted, its limit applies instead.

    School zones are slower. Article 12 of the Road Traffic Act lets local governments limit traffic near schools, kindergartens and similar facilities to 30 km/h or less. Follow the posted number rather than assuming one.

    Who a camera ticket goes to

    The police and local governments may install unmanned enforcement equipment under Article 4-2 of the Road Traffic Act. What that equipment records is the car.

    Article 160(3) covers that gap. When speeding is shown by a photo, video or other recorded image, and either the driver can’t be identified or a driver’s fine can’t be issued, an administrative fine (과태료) of up to KRW 200,000 can go to the vehicle’s “employer and others” (고용주등).

    Article 56(1) defines that group widely. It covers a driver’s employer and anyone who manages or uses the vehicle. It also names people who rent a business vehicle under the Passenger Transport Service Act, which covers car rental businesses. Leased cars are covered too.

    So a camera case starts with the administrative fine for the person responsible. The other route is a driver’s fine (범칙금), issued to an identified driver through a notice. That is a separate process, not a cheaper option you pick from the table below.

    Under Article 160(4), the administrative fine is not imposed if the driver has already received a driver’s fine. It is also not imposed if the real driver is identified when you submit your opinion or an objection to the notice. And it is not imposed on a rental company when it is clear the company only rented the car out.

    How much a speeding fine costs

    The amounts below are for the “passenger car” class (승용자동차등). The driver’s-fine table defines it as passenger cars and trucks of 4 metric tons or less, and the camera-fine tables use the same class name. Vans and buses (승합자동차), larger trucks and motorcycles have their own amounts.

    Over the limit byCamera fine to the person responsible (과태료)Driver’s fine (범칙금)Camera fine in a protection zone, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
    20 km/h or lessKRW 40,000KRW 30,000KRW 70,000
    Over 20, up to 40 km/hKRW 70,000KRW 60,000KRW 100,000
    Over 40, up to 60 km/hKRW 100,000KRW 90,000KRW 130,000
    Over 60 km/hKRW 130,000KRW 120,000KRW 160,000

    The camera fine comes from Annex 6 of the Enforcement Decree of the Road Traffic Act, the driver’s fine from Annex 8. The protection zone column comes from Annex 7, which covers school zones and senior or disability protection zones. Article 88(4) of the decree applies it only from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

    This guide covers the money only. The driver’s route can bring other consequences for a license record, and we haven’t covered those here.

    Speeding fine calculator

    Passenger cars and trucks of 4 metric tons or less only. Enter the posted limit and the speed the camera recorded.

    Amounts from Annexes 6, 7 and 8 of the Enforcement Decree of the Road Traffic Act; weather rule from Article 19 of the Enforcement Rule. Last checked October 12, 2026. Where a variable speed limit sign is posted, its number is the limit. This is an estimate, not a legal decision.

    Paying early and paying late

    The administrative fine has its own rules under the Act on the Regulation of Violations of Public Order (질서위반행위규제법). Article 18 lets the agency reduce the fine if you pay voluntarily before the deadline for submitting your opinion, which the advance notice sets. The enforcement decree caps that reduction at 20%.

    Paying the reduced amount closes the case. Under Article 88(6) of the Road Traffic Act decree, the fine is otherwise due within 60 days of receiving the payment notice. Article 88(7) warns that unpaid fines can collect a late-payment surcharge.

    If you were driving a rental car

    Two sets of rules point the same way. Under the Road Traffic Act, a renter counts as a person responsible for the car, and the rental company is excluded when it only rented the car out.

    The contract side says the same. Article 16(2) of the Korea Fair Trade Commission’s model rental contract makes the renter responsible for traffic fines, parking fines and parking fees from the rental period, even after the car goes back. Your own company’s contract is what applies, so read its section on fines.

    Payment can also run through your card. When we checked Lotte Rent-a-Car’s English rental page on October 9, 2026, it said charges such as fuel, tolls and fines are billed to your registered card after a key-drop return. None of these rules explain how a fine reaches you once you’ve left Korea, so ask the company before you drive off. For the rest of the counter process, see our guide to what Korean law and rental companies each require when you rent.

    Fines aren’t the only charge that can reach you after the trip. Expressway tolls left unpaid at the exit can too, and our guide to Korea’s highway tolls and unpaid tolls shows how to check and pay them.

    Checking and paying a fine

    The Korean National Police Agency runs Traffic Civil Affairs 24 (교통민원24, also known as eFine) at efine.go.kr. Its menus include unpaid administrative fines (미납과태료) and unpaid driver’s fines (미납범칙금).

    When we opened it on October 12, 2026, the site was in Korean only, with no language menu. Its login options are Korean identity checks: simple authentication, financial or joint certificates, and a mobile ID. The site doesn’t say whether visitors without these can log in.

    The payment notice names the agency that issued the fine. If you think a fine is wrong, or you need to show someone else was driving, contact that agency or the police station named on the notice. A rental company can tell you what it charges under your contract, but it can’t decide the legal question.

    Before you drive

    • Treat the posted sign as the limit, especially on city streets where the default is only 50 km/h.
    • Slow down in school zones and senior or disability protection zones, where daytime fines are higher.
    • Lower your speed in rain, snow or fog. The legal limit drops by 20% or 50% in those conditions.
    • If you rent, ask at pick-up how the company handles fines that arrive after you have left Korea, and keep your rental contract.

    Last checked: October 12, 2026. Sources: Road Traffic Act, Articles 4-2, 12, 56 and 160, Enforcement Decree of the Road Traffic Act, Article 88 and Annexes 6, 7 and 8, Enforcement Rule of the Road Traffic Act, Article 19, Act on the Regulation of Violations of Public Order, Article 18 and its Enforcement Decree, Article 5 (Korean Law Information Center, in Korean); Standard Terms for Car Rental No. 10064 (Korea Fair Trade Commission, in Korean); Lotte Rent-a-Car rental information; Traffic Civil Affairs 24 (Korean National Police Agency, in Korean).

  • Korea Highway Tolls: Hi-Pass, Toll Tickets and Unpaid Tolls

    Korea Highway Tolls: Hi-Pass, Toll Tickets and Unpaid Tolls

    Most Korean expressways charge tolls, and the toll plazas give you two kinds of lanes to choose from. Drive through a Hi-Pass lane without a working unit and the toll is recorded as unpaid against the car.

    This guide covers how the system works on roads run by the Korea Expressway Corporation (한국도로공사, KEC), which discounts and surcharges apply to ordinary cars, and what to do if you miss a payment. The rules come from KEC’s own pages and the Toll Road Act.

    The short answer

    • Two lane types: Hi-Pass lanes charge an in-car device automatically. Regular lanes work with a paper toll ticket and payment at the booth.
    • No Hi-Pass device? Use the regular lanes, and take a ticket where one is issued.
    • Price changes: light cars pay half, cars pay 5% more on weekend and holiday daytimes, and the Seollal and Chuseok holidays are toll-free.
    • Missed a toll: it can be paid later. Left unpaid through the notice process, a surcharge of 10 times the unpaid toll can be added on top.

    Hi-Pass lanes and regular lanes

    Hi-Pass (하이패스) is KEC’s electronic toll system. A unit in the car, with a toll card inserted, pays as you drive through a Hi-Pass lane without stopping. KEC says Hi-Pass was installed at toll plazas nationwide by the end of 2007.

    Regular lanes are for cars without Hi-Pass. On most routes, including the Gyeongbu Expressway, you collect a toll ticket (통행권) at the entry plaza. The ticket records where you entered and the vehicle class. At the exit plaza you hand it over and pay for the distance you actually drove.

    Some routes, such as the Seoul Ring Expressway, use an open system instead. There is no ticket. You pay a fixed amount at each toll plaza you pass through.

    Don’t skip the ticket. On roads where KEC expressways connect to privately run ones, a single payment at the final exit covers the whole trip, and the ticket is how your entry point is known. KEC warns that without one, the toll for the longest possible distance may be charged.

    Paying at the booth

    KEC’s toll-collection page doesn’t list payment methods for the exit booth itself. Its unpaid-toll guide lists cash, prepaid and postpaid toll cards, and credit cards for settling unpaid tolls at toll offices and booths. Neither page says whether foreign-issued cards work, so carrying some Korean won is a sensible backup.

    Hi-Pass cards

    The Hi-Pass unit needs a card inside it. There are two kinds.

    • Prepaid: KEC’s own Hi-Pass card is sold at expressway rest-area information desks, toll offices and Hi-Pass centers. It is topped up in steps of KRW 1,000, up to KRW 500,000.
    • Postpaid: a toll-payment credit card issued by a Korean card company. Tolls are billed by the card company.

    Hi-Pass in a rental car

    None of the sources we checked say whether rental cars come with a Hi-Pass unit and card. Lotte Rent-a-Car’s English rental page, in its note on after-hours key-drop returns, says extra charges such as fuel, tolls, fines and late fees are billed to your registered card. It says nothing about Hi-Pass.

    Ask at the counter whether the car has a working Hi-Pass setup before you head for the expressway. If it doesn’t, stay in the regular lanes. Our guide to renting a car in Korea as a foreigner covers the other contract terms, including who pays charges that show up after you return the car.

    Discounts and surcharges

    RuleChangeConditions
    Light car (경차)50% offEngine under 1,000cc and within 3.6 m long, 1.6 m wide, 2.0 m high. For electric and hydrogen cars, only the size limits apply
    Weekend and holiday surcharge5% extraClass 1 vehicles, which include cars. Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., by exit time. Not during the Seollal and Chuseok holiday periods
    Seollal and ChuseokFreeThe day before, the day itself and the day after each holiday, on all expressways including private ones
    Commuter discount20% or 50% offHi-Pass only. Weekdays except public holidays, by exit time, on KEC trips under 20 km between toll plazas: 50% from 5 to 7 a.m. and 8 to 10 p.m., 20% from 7 to 9 a.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.
    Electric and hydrogen cars30% off in 2026, 20% in 2027EV-dedicated Hi-Pass unit only. Includes private expressways. Scheduled to end December 31, 2027

    The light-car discount comes from the Enforcement Decree of the Toll Road Act (유료도로법 시행령), Article 8. The Kia Ray, covered in our guide to Korea’s boxy light car, is one example of a Korean light car.

    KEC’s page doesn’t explain how the light-car discount is applied to a rental car, at the booth or through Hi-Pass. If you rent a light car, ask the rental company.

    If you drive through without paying

    It happens: you end up in a Hi-Pass lane without a unit, the card isn’t inserted, or the balance has run out. The toll is then recorded as unpaid against the car.

    Where to pay. KEC lists several places to settle unpaid tolls in person. They include toll offices and booths, rest-area information desks and payment kiosks, and GS25 and CU convenience stores after identity verification. Gas-station kiosks take credit or debit cards, and payment by phone goes through 1588-2504.

    Online payment on KEC’s toll website needs the registered owner’s digital certificate, and a rental car isn’t registered to you. The site’s non-member page can look up unpaid tolls by plate number, but payment there also needs identity verification. Same-day unpaid tolls don’t show up in the lookup.

    The 10x surcharge. The Toll Road Act lets the operator add a surcharge on top of the unpaid toll, set by the decree at 10 times the unpaid amount. When KEC applies it depends on the case:

    • For an ordinary miss, notices go out in order: a first notice, a bill, a reminder, then seizure of the vehicle and a fourth notice with the surcharge.
    • A car with 20 or more unpaid tolls in the past year is surcharged immediately from the 20th.
    • Fraud, such as using someone else’s discount card, is surcharged immediately.

    For an ordinary miss, paying before the fourth notice avoids the surcharge. With a rental car the notices may never reach you, so settling a missed toll yourself is the safer course.

    Before you drive

    • Ask the rental company whether the car has Hi-Pass, and whether it counts as a light car.
    • Without Hi-Pass, use the regular lanes and keep the toll ticket until the exit.
    • Carry some Korean won as a backup at the booth.
    • Check the toll for your route on KEC’s website before a long trip (고속도로 › 통행요금 › 통행요금조회).
    • If you miss a toll, settle it at a toll office, a rest-area information desk or a GS25 or CU store.

    For questions about a specific toll, KEC’s 24-hour call center is 1588-2504.

    Last checked: October 11, 2026. Sources: Korea Expressway Corporation pages on toll collection, discounts and surcharges, and unpaid tolls (ex.co.kr, under 고속도로 › 통행요금 and 미납요금, in Korean); KEC expressway toll website (in Korean); Toll Road Act, Article 20 and Enforcement Decree, Articles 8 and 14 (Korean Law Information Center, in Korean); Lotte Rent-a-Car rental information.

  • Driving in Korea as a Tourist: International Driving Permit Rules

    Driving in Korea as a Tourist: International Driving Permit Rules

    Tourists can drive in Korea, but most need an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued under a road traffic convention Korea recognizes. A home license alone works only if Korea has a specific agreement with your country, and either way the right to drive lasts a limited time.

    This guide walks through the rules as they appear in Korea’s Road Traffic Act (도로교통법), Article 96, in the version in force since July 1, 2026. We checked the list of countries against the United Nations treaty records in October 2026.

    The short answer

    • Who can drive: visitors holding an IDP issued abroad under the 1949 Geneva Convention, the 1968 Vienna Convention or a bilateral IDP agreement, or a home license Korea recognizes under a bilateral agreement.
    • For how long: one year from the date you entered Korea.
    • What you can drive: only the vehicle classes printed on your permit.
    • What you can’t drive: vehicles registered for commercial passenger or freight transport, with one exception: cars rented from a rental business.

    Which permits Korea accepts

    Article 96 lists four kinds of documents. All of them must be issued by a competent authority in another country, so plan to get yours from your home country’s issuing organization before you travel.

    DocumentLegal basisWhat it means for you
    IDP under the 1949 Geneva ConventionArt. 96(1), item 1Applies to visitors from Geneva countries such as the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Japan
    IDP under the 1968 Vienna ConventionArt. 96(1), item 2Covers countries like Germany and Brazil that joined Vienna but not Geneva
    IDP under a bilateral IDP agreementArt. 96(1), item 3For countries that signed a separate permit agreement with Korea
    Foreign license recognized under a bilateral agreementArt. 96(1), item 4Lets a home license be used directly, only where Korea has such an agreement

    For most visitors, the first two rows are the ones that matter. The last two depend on country-by-country agreements, and we couldn’t find an official public list of them.

    Is your country covered?

    The UN treaty records list 103 parties to the 1949 Geneva Convention and 91 parties to the 1968 Vienna Convention as of October 8, 2026. Some countries belong to both. Here are some examples, not the full lists:

    • Geneva parties: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, France, Italy, Spain, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
    • Vienna parties not on the Geneva list: Germany, Brazil, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

    Mainland China is not a party to either convention. A Chinese mainland license or permit doesn’t fall under items 1 or 2. The Geneva record notes that China applies the convention to Hong Kong and Macao, so an IDP issued there under the 1949 Convention would fall under item 1.

    If your country isn’t named here, check the UN status pages linked at the end of this guide. If it isn’t a party to either convention, ask the Korean embassy or consulate in your country before you plan a drive. A bilateral agreement may exist, but we can’t confirm one for you here.

    What you can and can’t drive

    Your permit sets the limit. Article 96 says you may drive only the vehicle classes listed on your IDP or recognized license. If your permit covers cars only, it doesn’t cover a motorcycle.

    Article 96(2) also bars visitors from driving vehicles used in commercial passenger or freight transport. In practice, that means you can’t drive a taxi, bus or commercial truck on an IDP.

    The same paragraph makes an exception for cars rented from a rental business under Korea’s passenger transport law. That exception is what lets tourists legally drive a rental car.

    How the one-year limit works

    The clock starts on the day you enter Korea, not the day your permit was issued. Article 96 allows driving for one year from the date of entry. After that, the permit no longer authorizes you to drive here.

    Your IDP’s own validity matters too. An expired permit won’t cover you, even if you’re still inside that year.

    The article doesn’t spell out how leaving and re-entering affects the count. If you’re close to the limit or come and go often, don’t assume the clock resets.

    If you’re moving to Korea rather than visiting, an IDP isn’t a long-term solution. The one-year limit applies however long you stay, so residents need another route, such as converting a foreign license to a Korean one. Our guide to exchanging a foreign license for a Korean one covers who qualifies, which tests apply and the documents to bring.

    One more exception

    Article 96(3) says the permit doesn’t help someone who is still inside one of the waiting periods set by Article 82(2). Those periods bar certain people from getting a Korean license for a set time after specific violations. Most first-time visitors won’t be affected.

    Carry it every time you drive

    Article 92 requires every driver to carry a valid license while driving, and it names the IDP and the recognized foreign license under Article 96 as qualifying documents. Keep the permit itself with you whenever you’re behind the wheel.

    Before you book a rental

    Check three things at home. Make sure your IDP was issued under the Geneva or Vienna convention, or that your country has an agreement with Korea. Then confirm it lists the vehicle class you plan to rent and won’t expire during your trip.

    Rental companies set their own age, experience and document rules on top of the law. Those vary by company, so confirm them when you book.

    Last checked: October 8, 2026. Sources: Road Traffic Act, Articles 82, 92 and 96 (Korean Law Information Center, in Korean), UN Treaty Collection status pages for the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic and the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.