The number of foreigners who do not pay fines despite violating traffic laws has increased significantly.

It has been shown that the number of foreign drivers, including those from multicultural families, who are subject to fines for violating traffic laws is increasing every year. The number of foreigners who fail to pay fines after receiving them has also more than tripled over the past five years.

According to the 'Details of Fines Imposed on Foreign Drivers for Violation of Traffic Laws' released by the National Police Agency, the total number of fines imposed on foreigners for various traffic law violations, such as traffic violations and speeding, from 2018 to last year amounted to approximately 89,000. If you think about it, it’s about 48.2 billion won.

By year, it is increasing every year: ▲131,887 cases (about 7.2 billion won) in 2018 ▲157,597 cases (about 8.3 billion won) in 2020 ▲260,842 cases (about 14.3 billion won) in 2022.

The number of fines imposed has doubled in just five years. As of August this year, the total number of fines imposed on foreign drivers was 205,496 (approximately 11 billion won).

The foreigners levied the most fines are Chinese. Chinese drivers accounted for 61% of the total number of fines imposed (548,307 cases, 29.5 billion won).

Afterwards, there were 53,929 cases in Uzbekistan (about 3.1 billion won), 51,009 cases in the United States (about 2.5 billion won), 42,579 cases in Vietnam (about 2.3 billion won), and 38,113 cases in Russia (about 2.1 billion won).

The number of cases where fines are imposed for violating traffic laws but are not paid are also increasing. In 2018, there were 10,392 cases of non-payment of fines for foreign drivers, but last year it more than tripled to 36,765 cases.

The fine for non-payment also increased significantly from 900 million won to 2.2 billion won. The unpaid fines over the past five years were calculated to be about 6.1 billion won.

It was found that 40% (2.4 billion won) of the unpaid fines were Chinese drivers. Uzbekistan drivers ranked second (13%, 800 million won), and Vietnamese drivers ranked third (7%, 400 million won).

The number of hit-and-run accidents in which drivers flee without reporting a traffic accident totaled 1,276 over the past 5 years, with more than 200 foreign drivers causing hit-and-run accidents every year.

In response to this, National Assembly member Jeon Bong-min pointed out, “Foreigners cannot collect fines if they leave the country without paying them,” and added, “The regulations should be changed to prevent foreigners from leaving the country if they do not pay the traffic fines imposed during their stay.”

In Korea, it is important for foreign drivers, including those from multicultural families, to comply with traffic laws, but they must also have a law-abiding spirit to pay fines even if they violate them.

Mary Eve of Papaya Story