According to the “2026 Road Traffic Act” released by the National Police Agency on the 28th, people who have driven drunk twice or more within the past five years must install a DUI prevention device on their vehicle when they re-acquire their license after a two-year disqualification period.

The device prevents the vehicle from starting at all when alcohol is detected. The cost of installation is about 3 million won, and the police said they are in talks with the Korea Expressway Corporation to allow rental.

In addition, driving without installing preventive devices could result in up to a year in prison or a fine of up to 3 million won. It is also possible to revoke a driver’s license.

If another person is caught driving after avoiding alcohol detection by breathing instead, he or she will be sentenced to up to three years in prison or fined up to 30 million won.

According to the police, about 40% of drunk drivers have recidivism within five years. The police’s plan is to “block the source” as a device to prevent the possibility of such recidivism.

When drug driving is caught, it has been raised from “imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 10 million won” to “imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 20 million won.” A new provision has also been established that will result in “imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 20 million won” for non-compliance with drug measurements.

The issuance of Type 1 licenses will also become stricter. Previously, if only the seven-year accident-free requirement was met, type 2 driver’s license holders could obtain type 1 licenses only by aptitude tests. Starting next year, you can get a type 1 license after an aptitude test only if you prove your actual driving experience with a certificate of auto insurance.

The standard for calculating the renewal period of a driver’s license will be changed from the existing annual unit (January 1st to December 31st) to six months for each individual’s birthday. The related system will also be adjusted so that trainees can legally train on the road to the places and courses they want without visiting the driver’s license academy in person.

Kim Ho-seung, director of the National Police Agency’s Living Safety Transportation Bureau, said, “We will strongly crack down on activities that threaten the lives of the people on the road and actively improve daily inconveniences.”