The existing laws state that fines under the amount set by presidents’ executive orders can be paid with credit cards, while fines with penalty points must be paid in cash to city court clerks.(image:kobizmedia)
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea has come up with a more effective way to collect monetary penalties. Kim Woo-Nam, a lawmaker from the opposition party of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), said on February 20 that he proposed, on behalf of several other lawmakers with the same purpose, revised bills that will give offenders of minor violations the opportunity to pay monetary penalties using credit cards.
There are currently three types of monetary penalties in Korea, which vary depending on the gravity of the violation: fines, fines with penalty points and fines with criminal punishments. The existing laws state that fines under the amount set by presidents’ executive orders — largely in small amounts — can be paid with credit cards, while fines with penalty points must be paid in cash to city court clerks.
According to Kim, taxi or truck drivers often fail to pay fines in cash due to their busy life on the road. Kim said that the existing laws might result in unnecessary consequences, such as the driver’s license suspension, or additional penalties for drivers who simply have difficulties in paying their fines in cash.
By J.W. Choi (summerchoi@koreabizwire.com)
