The English-language information on the back of a new South Korean driver’s license. (image: Korea Road Traffic Authority)
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — A new driver’s license will be available starting next month that will allow South Korean citizens to drive in 30 countries around the world.
Authorities announced on August 27 that new legislation will take effect on September 16 that will allow for a new driver’s license with English identification on the back of the card.
The previous version of the driver’s license came without English identification, which required South Koreans to go through the inconvenience of applying for a separate international driver’s license or receive official documents from a local embassy.
Currently, there are 98 countries that require an international driver’s license for foreigners to drive in the country.
The new driver’s license with English identification will be allowed for use in 30 countries. The English identification will include name, date of birth, gender, address, date of issuance, and expiration date.
The kind of vehicles that the license authorizes to drive will be written in symbols, and organ donors may insert a line to identify themselves as such.
Also, when exchanging the previous version of the license with the new one, the fingerprint scanning of the applicant will be enough for identification.
Other documentation such as identification cards or passports will not be required.
“We introduced a new fingerprint system for convenience of our citizens. Driver’s licenses, which used to require personal identification, will now become much more easier to issue,” said an official at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
