A driver’s license test course in South Korea. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 20 (Korea Bizwire) — From July, disabled South Koreans will be able to receive free driving training at disabled driving support centers.
The National Police Agency (NPA) and the Road Traffic Authority (RTA) said Sunday that the revised enforcement ordinance of the Road Traffic Act, which includes such information, was approved at a National Assembly meeting on April 14 and will take effect July 1.
Operated at eight driver’s license test courses across the country, the centers offer 16 hours of customized driving courses free of charge.
The free training is currently targeting disabled people in grades 1 to 4. Last year, 1,978 disabled people were educated at these centers.
As the Act on Welfare of the Disabled was revised in July of last year and the classification of disability grades changed from grades 1 to 6 to severe and mild, the NPA and RTA decided to provide free driving education for all disabled people.
People with minor disabilities in grades 5 and 6 had to spend about 600,000 won (US$493) to register at driving academies to get a driver’s license, but they will be able to receive free driving education from July.
An NPA official said, “We will also actively push to expand the driving support center for the disabled in the future.”
D. M. Park (dmpark@koreabizwire.com)
