How to obtain your Korean drivers License
As mentioned, I got my Korean drivers license not too long ago. I'll write here about how I got it. I have heard that they are changing the testing system and that things will be harder soon. I don't know when, they originally said November, but now I have heard December 22nd 2016! I hope they haven't changed it too much.
To start, you need your passport and your ARC Alien registration card.
You can do it two ways, go to the Local government driving centre to get an application form or go to the hospital.
Note, not many driving schools teach in English. I did mine in Korean and I have very basic Korean skills.
First, I went to the government driving centre to get an application form.
Then, I had to get a medical check at a hospital. If you decide to not get the form first, the hospital should have them, just tell them you want to do your driving health check.
It was pretty simple, they check your eyesight and that was it. They're supposed to check the other things like hearing and movement of certain limbs, but they just cleared me.
Second, enrol in a driving school! I paid just over 570,000 won to enrol.
Third, you have to sit a health and safety class. Everywhere is different. There are places which make you watch a video for three hours, but I had a teacher who spoke in Korean.
My class was 5 hours long! The man spoke for about an hour and a half in Korean and the other three hours I had to wait. They have a fingerprint and card swiping system every hour, so you have to check in.
Next, you sit your theory test. There are 40 questions and they're pretty simple. There is a pamphlet with all the questions. I had it emailed to me. I'm not sure where you would find it online.
After, you pass, you go back to the driving school and schedule your "functions lesson and test". The functions lesson is two hours long. The instructor shows you a set of things you have to do for the test.
EVERYTHING is on a tablet in front of you. EVERYTHING is in Korean too.
"Start the engine, switch on your lights, switch on your full beams, switch off the full beams and lights, indicate the direction they ask, switch on your wipers, drive the course (50 metres) and emergency stop with hazards".
The test prompts you, and you must listen out for the words which tell you which step to do next. Basically don't start until the clock clicks 0.01. You have about 5 seconds to do them, but don't do it too fast either, especially switching off your full beam and lights.
When you do you emergency stop, you will hear the tablet say "dol bal, dol bal". Hit your breaks then quickly apply your hazards. Switch of the hazards when it tells you to and drive the rest of the course.
After two hours, you go back the next day and do the whole thing on your own.
When that is passed, it's your road lessons. Scary! Especially if you have never driven before. They take you straight out. There are four courses. They take you on each course during the lessons.
It's technically just two courses, as course A is driving to destination A. Then course B is driving back to the driving school. Same with the B route.
Finally, after the 3, under 2 hour lessons you get, you sit your road test on the day you choose.
Most likely, there will be someone else who is sitting their test too. The names are drawn at random and also the routes.
The routes are in Korean, but you can ask for English. My instructor got confused and couldn't set it. You basically listen out for certain numbers, like in 50m turn right/left.
You also have to do a parallel park. The school will teach you. I had bricks for a guide to look our for in the mirrors!
When you hear 300m (Sam Baek metre) you merge into the lane it tells you. If you hear 50m (o ship metre), switch on your indicators to turn.
Words to look out for are:
"oo - hay - john" turn right.
"Jah-hay-jeon" turn left.
"Shik Jin" straight.
"Dol Bal" emergency stop and hazards.
At a stop light or at any junction where you have to wait, always move your stick back to neutral and keep your foot on the brake".
Keep your seatbelt on the entire time, even when you finished the test, until the guy tells you you're done.
Everything is scored on a tablet system and the score is given right away.
Email me if you want more information.
To start, you need your passport and your ARC Alien registration card.
You can do it two ways, go to the Local government driving centre to get an application form or go to the hospital.
Note, not many driving schools teach in English. I did mine in Korean and I have very basic Korean skills.
First, I went to the government driving centre to get an application form.
Then, I had to get a medical check at a hospital. If you decide to not get the form first, the hospital should have them, just tell them you want to do your driving health check.
It was pretty simple, they check your eyesight and that was it. They're supposed to check the other things like hearing and movement of certain limbs, but they just cleared me.
Second, enrol in a driving school! I paid just over 570,000 won to enrol.
Third, you have to sit a health and safety class. Everywhere is different. There are places which make you watch a video for three hours, but I had a teacher who spoke in Korean.
My class was 5 hours long! The man spoke for about an hour and a half in Korean and the other three hours I had to wait. They have a fingerprint and card swiping system every hour, so you have to check in.
Next, you sit your theory test. There are 40 questions and they're pretty simple. There is a pamphlet with all the questions. I had it emailed to me. I'm not sure where you would find it online.
After, you pass, you go back to the driving school and schedule your "functions lesson and test". The functions lesson is two hours long. The instructor shows you a set of things you have to do for the test.
EVERYTHING is on a tablet in front of you. EVERYTHING is in Korean too.
"Start the engine, switch on your lights, switch on your full beams, switch off the full beams and lights, indicate the direction they ask, switch on your wipers, drive the course (50 metres) and emergency stop with hazards".
The test prompts you, and you must listen out for the words which tell you which step to do next. Basically don't start until the clock clicks 0.01. You have about 5 seconds to do them, but don't do it too fast either, especially switching off your full beam and lights.
When you do you emergency stop, you will hear the tablet say "dol bal, dol bal". Hit your breaks then quickly apply your hazards. Switch of the hazards when it tells you to and drive the rest of the course.
After two hours, you go back the next day and do the whole thing on your own.
When that is passed, it's your road lessons. Scary! Especially if you have never driven before. They take you straight out. There are four courses. They take you on each course during the lessons.
It's technically just two courses, as course A is driving to destination A. Then course B is driving back to the driving school. Same with the B route.
Finally, after the 3, under 2 hour lessons you get, you sit your road test on the day you choose.
Most likely, there will be someone else who is sitting their test too. The names are drawn at random and also the routes.
The routes are in Korean, but you can ask for English. My instructor got confused and couldn't set it. You basically listen out for certain numbers, like in 50m turn right/left.
You also have to do a parallel park. The school will teach you. I had bricks for a guide to look our for in the mirrors!
When you hear 300m (Sam Baek metre) you merge into the lane it tells you. If you hear 50m (o ship metre), switch on your indicators to turn.
Words to look out for are:
"oo - hay - john" turn right.
"Jah-hay-jeon" turn left.
"Shik Jin" straight.
"Dol Bal" emergency stop and hazards.
At a stop light or at any junction where you have to wait, always move your stick back to neutral and keep your foot on the brake".
Keep your seatbelt on the entire time, even when you finished the test, until the guy tells you you're done.
Everything is scored on a tablet system and the score is given right away.
Email me if you want more information.
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