Foreigners can get a Korean driver's license,

depending on the admitted country of Korean driver’s license

Many foreigners have tried to obtain a Korean driver’s license, but many people suffer from complicated procedures, costs, and consuming time.

However, it was possible that the local driver's license that they used at their country could be changed to a Korean driver’s license.

According to the Road Traffic Authority Driver's License Service, foreigners prohibited to drive in Korea only with a foreign driver's license issued in a foreign country. However, a driver's license issued by a competent authority in a foreign country may apply for an a Korean driver’s license. 

First of all, it is important to check whether a citizen's native country admits the qualification of Korea’s driving license. For a license issued by the country where admit it, with only an aptitude exam (physical test), is required. For the rest of case, a written exam is required in addition to an aptitude exam.

Currently, about 140 countries in Asia, America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa are announced on the website as the Korean driver’s license authorized countries.

In order to change a license, the applicant must review the submitted documents such as the embassy confirmation. The documents required are the original driver's license, the original passport, the original alien registration card, the embassy certificate for license and the certificate of immigration(from the year of birth to the present).

A copy of the Certificate of Alien Registration can be issued at the immigration office, and a Certificate of Immigration can be issued at the nearest community service center.

Through out all documents, the most complicated document is the ‘embassy notarization of license.’

To verify the authenticity of a original driver license, driver license must be notarized at the embassy. If applicant’s native country does not join in Apostille hague, notarized at the local embassy and if joins Apostille, it must be notarized at the foreign ministry of the native country.

In fact, this process cannot be carried out in Korea, and many applicants spend a long time and a great deal of money to get Korean driver’s license.

The KICPC, which provides embassy certification and apostille authentication solutions in foreign countries, said they offer services for people who have trouble preparing the ‘embassy notarization’ which is one of the documents needed for foreigners to change their driver’s license to Korean driver’s license.

Also they added that ‘it is the best way to issue it through a fast and safe professional office because the types and procedures of certificates vary from country to country’.

KICPC is a company selected as ‘Hi Seoul Brand’. It has branches in China, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South America, and planning to expand its branches worldwide.

http://www.mhns.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=45420