A couple of blog readers have emailed this question, so I thought it may be helpful to share the information with others.
If you want to rent a car in Korea, you should have proper licenses and meet age requirements (it differs depending on type of car you’re renting, but generally at least 21 years of age with an international license).
For more information, below are the websites of two of the rental car companies in Korea:
https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/gaq/index.jsp?targetPage=reservationOnHomepage.jsp
http://www.avis.co.kr/eng/index.jsp
If you don’t meet the driver’s requirements (or don’t want to deal with the headache of driving in a foreign country), you can rent a car with a driver.
For more information about reserving a driver with your car rental, please see below:
http://www.avis.co.kr/eng/use/driver.jsp
https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/byr/index.jsp?targetPage=Asia_KR_chauffeurdrive.jsp&leftNavUserSelection=globNav_3_5_7®ion=Asia
Generally, Seoul’s extensive mass transit system can take you anywhere you may need to go. But if you take frequent business trips or have a family, a car may be a more convenient way to travel. There are many times when renting a car will do the job, but sometimes it is more convenient to own one.
Before purchasing a car, you must have a driver’s license, and be sure you know about Korean traffic laws. People with international licenses may drive in Korea, and people from countries that are part of the Geneva Convention or the Vienna Convention may exchange licenses from their home countries in exchange for a Korean one.
Q. What is the process of registering a newly purchased car?
A. It is important to register your vehicle upon purchase. The car dealer is generally required by law to register vehicles at the purchaser’s request. Driving a brand-new vehicle without registering it can result in a jail sentence of up to two years and/or a fine of up to 5 million won ($4,200). Registration can be made with the city or provincial government and district offices. Refer to the list on the right side for required documents for car registration.
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Plot summary (taken from www.koreanmovie.com) – One day, Hye Lin, the five-year old daughter of a devoted pastor, Joo Young Soo, is kidnapped. Pastor Joo, who has a rock solid faith in God at this time, prays wholeheartedly for her safe comeback, but she does not return. Eight years later, Joo Young Soo, who now does not believe in God and leads a completely secular life, receives a call. Hye Lin is still alive and is with the kidnapper. Joo Young Soo’s resolute attempt to rescue his daughter begins.
Times and locations below:
Vehicle inspections
If you own a vehicle here in Korea, you have to make sure to bring it in for regular inspections. In fact there are two different inspections you must get done.
Objective:
- To ensure the safety of a vehicle and protecting the lives and property of the Citizens from traffic accidents by checking whether a vehicle is roadworthy.
- To prevent damage and to establish driving rules by identifying uninsured and illegally modified vehicles
- To prevention criminals and authenticate ownership by checking the vehicle’s identity
- To prevent environmental pollution caused by emissions and noise
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How can the Driver’s license office at the Seoul Global Center help expats?
The Seoul Global Center provides the following select services pertaining to Korean driver’s licenses for foreign residents of Korea:
1. Exchange of a foreign driver’s license to a Korean driver’s license - provided the issuing 127 countries have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Korean government recognizing Korean driver’s licenses. Examples of countries with an existing MOU include Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Brazil, Canada, France, Russia, India, Ghana, Germany, India, Japan, Lebanon, Republic of South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. For a complete listing of countries recognizing Korean driver’s licenses, please refer to the Driver’s License Agency website at http://www.dla.go.kr/english.
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When foreigners want to get a Korean driver’s license to drive legally in Korea, there are two options;
One is to convert the foreign driver’s license into a Korean driver’s license and the other is to acquire a Korean license by taking a test as Korean applicants do in Korea.
Here’s the information for the latter.
Under a treaty between the governments of the countries in the box below and the Korean government, those holding a driver’s license issued from a country listed below are exempt from all the tests but a physical exam.
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