South Korea: Stricter penalties for unregistered driving schools and their advertisers begin July 1

South Korea is set to implement new regulations on July 1st to curb unregistered driving education services, often advertised online as 'visit road training' or 'beginner driver training.' The revised Road Traffic Act will impose legal penalties on individuals and entities that advertise or arrange paid driving lessons from unlicensed operators. This move addresses a long-standing issue where consumers were often misled into believing these services were legitimate.

Under the current law, only driving schools officially registered or designated by the National Police Agency are authorized to provide driving instruction. Unregistered individuals offering paid lessons face penalties of up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 5 million won. However, a significant legal gap existed concerning the promotion and arrangement of these illicit services, allowing a proliferation of online advertisements.

These unregistered services frequently used ordinary vehicles equipped with temporary 'training bars,' lacking proper safety equipment and often without comprehensive insurance. This posed a considerable risk of accidents, with any resulting damages potentially falling entirely on the student. The new legislation aims to eliminate these risks by holding advertisers and arrangers accountable.

The revised law will cover all forms of promotion and arrangement, including internet blogs, cafes, public chat rooms, and banner ads. Even content disguised as 'user reviews' could be subject to legal action if it effectively promotes or encourages the use of specific illegal operators. The National Police Agency plans to proactively monitor online platforms and collaborate with the Korea Communications Standards Commission to remove related content before the law takes effect.

"Advertising and arranging illegal driving education increases the risk of traffic accidents due to unqualified instruction and threatens public safety," a police official stated. "We will strictly crack down on brokers who have unfairly profited from legal loopholes and create a sounder driving education environment."

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Advertising and arranging illegal driving education increases the risk of traffic accidents due to unqualified instruction and threatens public safety. We will strictly crack down on brokers who have unfairly profited from legal loopholes and create a sounder driving education environment.