I finally got my license here in Korea! If you are an experienced driver, it's really easy to do, it just takes a lot of time. I went through the actual process of getting a license, not trading mine in. For some countries, you can just trade your license in for a Korean one, but it's only for certain states in the United States and South Carolina isn't one of them. You can also get your license apostilled and then turn it in that way but getting things apostilled is a big, expensive pain in the ass and I just didn't want to do it. Plus, I'm unemployed at the moment so I have the time to actually go through the process. Anyway, there are some videos and blogs already about it on the internet, but I felt like they didn't prepare me for everything. So, I'm writing out my version of events (skip to the end for a tl;dr) for any other pompous fools like myself that think they can just show up to get a Korean driver's license without speaking or understanding any driving-related Korean. It's do-able, but be prepared to feel foolish because every person you encounter will ask if you can speak Korean and after the fourth time, I was just ashamed to say "조금." But then it doesn't even matter because everything is in English. I was shamed, but I wasn't stopped. And props to you if you can speak Korean and don't have to wander around like a foreign goober.
FYI, I have been driving for about 15 years. I got my learners permit in the US at 15 (the laws have changed now) and I also drive my husband's car occasionally here in Korea. I lived in Los Angeles for two years and would drive a 15 passenger van around the city for my job. Once I even parallel parked that beast! Point is, I am a BOSS driver. I like driving, I miss driving and I feel very comfortable driving, even in this hot ass mess of a city. If you don't feel comfortable, or didn't have a license at home, please take a real class or at least do some practice driving before taking the test. If you're like me, though, you will do just fine with little preparation.
I went to the Driving License Test Center in Gangnam, Seoul, out of Samseong Station and close to Coex Mall. At Samseong station, go out of 1, walk to the corner and turn right. Walk down about a block or two and it's on your left. There's a sign and a giant building, you can't miss it. It took me 2 days to do everything from start to finish, but I was lazy and went later in the day. If you get there first thing in the morning (9:00am), you may be able to get everything done in one day. I like sleeping in more than I like being efficient, so I just rolled up whenever I felt like. Also, I didn't take any pictures of the process because I just didn't want to be that person.
Quickly-you have to...
Fill out an application-->watch a video-->health check-->written exam-->on-course test-->on-road test-->get license
Here is the license website for further information and other locations:
http://dl.koroad.or.kr/license/en/index.jsp
Anyway, here is, hopefully, everything you need to know (the long version):
You need to take:
*THREE passport size pictures. There's a photo booth on the 2nd floor if you don't have any handy.
Two are for the application and one is the picture they use when you get your license. It's Korea, so you know you gotta look good in your pictures! I, personally, look horrible but that's my fault for skipping the photo shop option when I took them. Don't make my mistake.
*ID (I'd bring your passport and ARC, they looked at both)
I *don't think* you can do it without an ARC, but I'm not positive.
*Cash or a credit card (I saw people using cards, but I used cash for everything)
It ended up costing about ₩72,000 total.
*Snacks, in case you don't get to leave and are there all day.
*Entertainment-a book or an extra battery pack for your phone because there is SO.MUCH.WAITING.
OK, so here are the steps:
(Have your ARC ready for each step because they ask for it each time)
1. Get an English application from the information desk (it says Information in English) If you can do it in Korean, they are in the middle. Fill out all the information (name, ID number, address, phone number, etc)
*If you want to trade in your license or get an international license, it's also on the first floor.
2. Take your application to the 2nd floor, to window 12 and pay ₩7,500. They will get your fingerprint and give you a card with a number on it. You have to watch a safety video that takes about an hour. Go in the room across from window 12 and seat at the desk with the same number as your card. The video is in Korean with Chinese (Mandarin?) subtitles, which makes no sense to me since all the traffic signs here are in Korean and English, not Chinese. Just go with it, it's the first of many things that make no sense. The video is set up like a game show and of course has cute cartoon mascots in it, so just pretend to pay attention. There's also a like, Korean drama portion of the video, but I never really understood what was going on with those two crazy lovebirds. Don't sleep, because a worker will come yell at you. They came in and asked a question at the beginning and some people got in line. I don't know what they said and I didn't get up, and everything was fine.
*The video only plays at 9:10, 11, 3:10 and 4:30 (subject to change) so you need to be there around one of those times or you will just be sitting around waiting since it's the first step.
When the video is almost over, they will pass out a piece of paper with your name on it saying you passed this portion of the test. Make sure you get yours because I didn't notice they had names on them at first. When it's over, get in line and you check out with your fingerprint.
3. Take your application to B1 and get a "health check" for ₩6,000. They check your eyes on a chart. It's just letters and numbers and you get a stamp. Easy Peasy.
4. Go back to the 2nd floor and take a number from the machine up front. When it's your turn, you will be registered for the written test. This costs ₩18,500. Some of the workers speak English, but either way, they should know what you need because you get a stamp each time you complete a step and you just need the next one. Or, they'll just send you to someone that does speak English.
Side note: Sometimes this guy comes out with a headset on and starts herding people into lines to make things go faster. He is just calling out numbers and telling people to go line up at certain windows. He was very nice and spoke English, so he would tell me what line to get in and became my license getting best friend. Be nice to him if you go to the Gangnam test center.
5. Go to the 4th floor to take the test. Give your information to the proctor at the front and make sure you say you want it in English. They will probably assume, but just to be safe. You have 50 minutes to answer 40 questions. Good luck.
Quick aside: OH MY GOODNESS, THIS TEST. My friend gave me materials to study and I think there is some information on the website to look at. But, really, just use your best judgement because most of it is just subjective stuff like, what is the most dangerous thing in this situation and there will be a picture. But the BEST part is, they have scenarios that involve people pushing handcarts down the street. I just loved that because, to me, it's SO Korean. I don't know about where you come from, but we do not have people pushing handcarts using busy city streets in my hometown. We do have golf-carts, so maybe that's just as weird. Anyway, I thought for sure I failed, but I only missed 2 questions. Common sense will probably get you through.
When you finish, it tells you if you passed or failed, and some numbers pop on the screen. Ignore those, you don't do anything with them. Go get a stamp from the front desk. And if you do fail, you can take it again the next day.
6. Back to the 2nd floor and get another number to register for the "Driving Course Test" for ₩3,500. You are given a time to go take the test and she will give you directions on how to get there.
Another aside: There are some practice driving cars on the 2nd floor that look like driving simulator video games. I am an idiot and thought THOSE things were the driving course test. When I came back the second day, I was freaking out because they were broken and I thought I wouldn't get to take the test. I went down to information to ask and they were like, wtf are you talking about? A random woman in line asked if I need a translator, so I said the cars upstairs were broken. She replied that this was not the place to come to get your car fixed. In my stress, I rudely told her nevermind and went back upstairs. I'm dumb.
7. The ACTUAL Driving Course Test is outside, to the right, across the street, down a hill, across the river, across a parking lot and up some stairs. Get another stamp from the nice old man in the booth before crossing the lot. Go up the stairs and inside where it says 1-2 and watch a video that has English subtitles. There is also a board all in English that explains what will happen. The man working there was SUPER worried about me not speaking Korean even though everything was in English but whatever. Smile and Nod. After reading and watching, give them your application and ID and then walk downstairs to the practice cars. They will call your name (or some Koreanized version of your name...Jacquelyn became "Ja-Qu"), you stand on the white footsteps and then get in the car.
Ok, so this test is ridiculous and it basically tests if you are a human being with basic human being driving skills. You are in the car by yourself and it speaks to you in Korean, but there are English instructions in a screen in the car so just read those and you'll be fine. The only thing to remember is to wait until the directions have finished before you do anything. Otherwise it doesn't register with the computer. So you get in, put on your seat-belt and wait for it to tell you to turn the car on. I don't remember the sequence exactly, but it asks you to turn on the lights, the wipers and use the blinkers. Then you put it into gear and drive 50 meters in a straight line. Halfway through, it flashes a red emergency signal and you need to hit the brakes, put it in park and put on the emergency lights. When it tells you, keep going and drive to the finish, park and put on the parking brake. Wait until it's done talking to take off your seat-belt and turn off the car. You have FIVE minutes to get all this done, which is an absurdly long amount of time for this test. Get out, go back up the stairs and get your newly stamped application back.
If you don't pass this part, bless your heart, but you don't deserve a driver's license. You can, however, take it again after three days. Their decision, not mine.
7. Back to the 2nd floor! Get ANOTHER number to receive your temporary license. If you don't need practice or want to wait, you can register for the "On-Road Driving Exam" for ₩28,500. They will give you a time and you go wait some more. Go outside, like you did for the Driving Course, but to the left. You will wait in a room that plays a video about the driving courses and things to remember. Watch these videos! They will literally tell you everything you need to know about this test. They even show you the four course options and the "problem areas" of each one! They REALLY don't want you to fail. There are English subtitles and also a book with English information at the front. Again, if you are an experienced driver, you should have NO problem with this. You will be driving on actual Korean roads, so if you've never done that before, I suggest practicing before if you have the chance.
The videos talk about most of these things but there are a few things that were different than driving at home.
*Getting out of bus lanes. Sometimes you have to turn right into a bus lane, but just merge out of it as soon as you can. You also have to get into the bus lane to make right turns sometimes, but try to wait until you have a broken line. Bus lanes have blue lines.
*Always put the car in neutral when you are stopped at a light. You will get points deducted if you don't.
*You can't turn left unless you have a left arrow light. Do not ride the line and turn left on yellow!
*U-turns are (obviously) very common here. Use the U-turn lane, wait for the light, make sure no one is coming and turn even if the fool in front of you is just sitting there.
*Always be aware of pedestrians. My hometown doesn't have a lot of pedestrian traffic so it's something I've had to get used to.
Ok, so then another guy comes in, takes your application, frets because you don't speak Korean and makes you read the English manual even though all the videos have English subtitles. SMILE AND NOD. Wait for your name to be called and then go outside and find the driver with you application. Have him also fret about you not speaking Korean even though the GPS is in English. Smile and nod some more.
There is another rando person in the car with you who is also taking the test. I was surprised/annoyed with this, mainly because after I finished, I had to wait for her to take the test as well but whatever..it was like 10 minutes.
In the car, you just listen to the English speaking computer tell you what to do. It's like a GPS with no screen. You can't ask the instructor questions, they are just there in case of an emergency, although mine did remind me to put the car in neutral at stops (is this common? I never did this at home). You drive around for about 10 minutes and it's very simple. It was kind of funny to me, because you are on your best driving behavior while there are normal Korean drivers all around you driving their normal crazy selves, along with taxis who are in bat out of hell mode. Anyway, drive carefully, but not like a grandma because that will get you points deducted as well, and then go back to the lot. The final test is parallel parking. I obviously aced this, but the woman after me hit the front curb and still passed, so don't stress too much if you're not great at it. Then it's over! The computer tells you if you passed or failed. If you failed, you can take it again after three days.
If you passed..you're in the homestretch!
8. Go back to the 2nd floor and GET YET ANOTHER MOTHERFUCKING NUMBER! When they call you, you pay ₩7,500 (I think, I don't remember, I was deliriously hungry at this point) for them to make your license. Give them your last picture and wait some more. Finally they call your name and GIVE YOU YOUR LICENSE!!! VICTORY DANCE!!!!
Unlike when I was 15 and got my license, I did not get to drive the car home with my mom. Instead, I sadly got on the bus and went home and took a nap. Being a grown-up is the worst!
Even though the whole process took a while, and I wandered around looking like an idiot for a good portion of the time, the whole thing was actually pretty organized and easy. Especially considering it's the GIANT city of Seoul in KOREA, and I don't even speak Korean. So yeah, easy but time-consuming. And again, not bragging, but seriously-make sure you are comfortable driving around this madhouse of a city. It's not for everyone. Including half the people that already have licenses and drive around here.
Anyway, now I have a Korean license so who knows what will happen now. Hopefully future posts will be about the fun car adventures I have. Stay tuned!
TL;DR
Take: ID, money (₩71,500), 3 passport pics
1. Get English application on 1st floor
2. 2nd floor, window 12, register for Education video
3. Watch video, get paper
4. Health check on B1
5. Apply for written exam on 2nd floor, take exam on 4th floor
6. Apply for Driving Course Test on 2nd floor, take test across the street
7. Apply for temporary license/On Road Exam on 2nd floor
8. Take On Road Exam
9. Back to 2nd floor to make and receive license
10. Celebrate with obligatory facebook post
