Can I exchange my home country driver's license for a Korean one? What's the process?
I have a driver's license from my home country and want to drive in Korea, so I'd like to convert it to a Korean license. I'm not sure if every country's license can be exchanged or if I have to take the tests again. What documents do I need at the driver's license exam center, and how do the medical check and verification of my foreign license work?
1 Answer
I converted my home-country license to a Korean one last year, so here's how it went. Whether it's a simple swap depends on your country: if your country has a mutual recognition agreement with Korea, the written and driving tests are waived and you just take an aptitude test, basically a simple medical, and exchange it. If your country isn't on the recognition list, you have to take the written test and sometimes the skills test too. You apply at a driver's license exam center, and I needed my original foreign license plus a notarized translation or apostille, my alien registration card, passport, a photo, and the medical result. They may ask for embassy confirmation or verification from the issuing authority to prove your license is genuine. The medical is mostly an eyesight check done at the center or a nearby designated hospital, with a small fee. I'd check whether your country qualifies and the exact documents in advance through the Road Traffic Authority site (safedriving.or.kr) or your local exam center, since it saved me a second trip.