The government has expanded the qualification test to include taxi drivers, which used to only be applicable to bus drivers aged 65 or older to maintain their licenses. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jul. 1 (Korea Bizwire) — Of the nation’s private taxi drivers, those aged 65 or older accounted for 36.8 percent of the total.
According to a report submitted to the National Assembly by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, a total of 162,199 private taxi drivers were registered in the transportation workers management system as of April of this year, of which 59,806 were aged 65 or older.
The number of drivers aged 80 or older was tallied at 631, about 46 percent (289 drivers) of which were registered in the Seoul area.
Among registered private taxi drivers by region, the oldest person was a 93-year-old driver registered in Daegu as the data shows as of June. Drivers aged 91 in Seoul and 90 in Busan followed close behind.
Meanwhile, the government has expanded the qualification test to include taxi drivers, which used to only be applicable to bus drivers aged 65 or older to maintain their licenses.
However, medical aptitude tests have yet to be implemented due to opposition from the industry.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
