Start Your Engines!

I am now the proud possessor of a Korean driver's license!  For those who don't know, my lovely girlfriend Kodi is going to make the long trek over to Korea all the way from Iowa and stay with me for 3 weeks!  She arrives in about 4 days and I couldn't be more excited to have her here for Christmas and New Year's.  I have some time off of work so we are going to take a trip to Jeju Island, a popular tourist destination.  It's a pretty small island with lots to do on it.  There are buses that go all around the island at regular times, but the easiest way to get around is to rent a car, and to do that you need either an international driver's license or Korean license.  I did some research and found out that if you have a foreign license you can simply take a few tests, pay some money and exchange your foreign license for a Korean one!  You have to actually give them your foreign license and leave it there, but you can get it back when you leave Korea.

My convict picture.  I blacked out some info (you can never be too safe!)

How to get your license
I made my way down to the licensing office at around 11; it wasn't very busy.  The easiest way to get there is to take a taxi.  I told the cab driver to take me to 대구운전면허사업소 (Daegu Driver's License Agency).  It's in Chilgok so expect to pay about 10-15,000won depending on where you live.  I went to counter 3 for foreigners and, being the only foreigner there, I didn't have to wait.  I filled out some paperwork then took an easy physical test (a few squats and fist clenches), a color-blind test and an eye exam.

Then I went up to the 3rd floor and into a room to take a written test on a computer.  Information online says you are exempt from the written test but I still had to.  It was 20 multiple choice questions in confusingly composed English.  The questions were mostly common sense but there were a few random ones and some took a bit of time to figure out what they were actually asking.  They give you 50 minutes to take the test but I only took about 15.  I missed three out of 20, but you only need to get 12/20 to pass the test.  I didn't study much, but below there is a link for the Korean driving guide which has all the laws and information.  Back down to the first floor to pay some more and I was done.  No driving test required. 

Here I have to hand it to Korea again for being so efficient.  I waited 10 minutes and they handed me my license.  No waiting with a paper copy for two weeks to get the real thing in the mail.  The whole process took a little over an hour and cost 17,000won (about $15).

Here is what you need to bring if you want to get your license:

• Foreign driver's license
• Passport
• Alien registration card
• 3 photos - they say they have to be 3cmx4cm, but passport photos work fine
• 17,000won

If you aren't from American/Canada or other countries with certain agreements, you will need notarized copies of some special forms.  They can be found on Korea's DLA website, below.

Korea's DLA website: http://www.dla.go.kr/eng/main.jsp

Daegu's DLA website: http://english.daegu.go.kr/InfoCenter/driver_license.asp

Korean driving guide: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/3474041/USFK-Pam-May-Guide-To-Safe-Driving-In-Korea-English