Increase in Training Due to Rise in License Acquisition Amid COVID-19: "I Want to Drive a Rent-a-Car, So I'm Taking Classes"

"Must Wait Until August for Training"
Trend of Increasing Driver's License Holders
Beware of Unregistered Road Training Academies

Driver's License Examination Center. The photo above is not related to the article.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Seo Mo (24), a university student who obtained a Class 2 regular driver's license last September while using his spare time during non-face-to-face classes at university. Recently, he has been looking for a driving school to take road training, but registration is not easy. Although it has been about 10 months since he obtained his license, he still has a "jangrong" license (a license that is unused and kept in a drawer), and although he wants to gain experience, the driving schools only respond that their classes are full. Seo said, "I am planning to rent a car and go on a trip this summer, so I am trying to find a driving school that offers road training."

Since COVID-19, the number of people obtaining driver's licenses has increased, and consequently, the number of those wanting to take road training has also risen. A driving school in Seoul said, "You have to wait until August to take road training," adding, "Due to COVID-19, the number of license holders has increased compared to the past, and as a result, more people want to take driving training." Another driving school also explained, "There is a shortage of instructors who can provide road training," and said, "You can only take classes by the end of July."

According to the National Police Agency, the number of new license holders last year was 802,324, an increase of 43,037 from the previous year. After recording 715,318 in 2017, the numbers were 721,933 in 2018 and 759,287 in 2019. The increase in license acquisition and road training students seems to be due to concerns about infection when using public transportation and the growing number of people hoping to use rental cars for domestic travel.

However, caution is needed as some driving schools conducting road training are not officially registered with the police. Under the current Road Traffic Act, when establishing and operating a driving school, it must be registered with the chief of the city or provincial police agency. Only those registered can legally charge tuition fees and provide driving education. Violations may result in imprisonment for up to two years or a fine of up to 5 million won.

If a driving school is not officially registered, training may proceed without proper safety measures. Because the education is conducted illegally, students may be charged fees if an accident actually occurs. There is also exposure to crime; for example, an unqualified driving instructor working at an unregistered driving school was caught secretly filming female students inside a training vehicle using a camera installed inside the car. According to the police, as of March, there are 360 officially registered driving schools nationwide, with 10 in Seoul and 75 in Gyeonggi Province.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.