Korean Drivers in Denmark 2026: IDP or Translation, Tolls

Denmark is a relaxing place for South Korean visitors to drive — same side of the road as home, orderly traffic, and roads kept in excellent condition. The two things to plan around are bridge money and how completely the country puts cyclists first.

Can you drive in Denmark on a Korean licence?

Yes, but you need a second document, and it is a legal condition rather than a courtesy. Danish citizen-service guidance on borger.dk tells holders of non-EU/EEA licences printed in a non-Latin alphabet to carry an international driving licence or a translation into Danish, English or French made by a public authority or an organisation authorised in the issuing country. Hangul puts the Korean card in that group. The permit you can get at home is the 1949 Geneva version — Korea signed the 1968 Vienna Convention but never ratified it — and Denmark is a 1949 party too, so it is accepted. Pick one up at a licensing office before you fly, then carry the permit, your Korean licence and your passport together. Denmark rates as one of the easiest countries in Europe to drive.

Bridges, not vignettes, cost the money

Denmark has no motorway vignette — the motorways are free. Where you pay is the big fixed links: the Storebælt (Great Belt) bridge between Zealand and Funen and the Øresund bridge across to Sweden both charge a hefty one-off toll. If your route runs west from Copenhagen or over to Malmö, factor those crossings into the budget.

Cyclists have priority — adjust your right turns

Compared with Seoul, the volume of cyclists is a step change. Dedicated cycle lanes run beside most urban roads, and cyclists have clear right of way. The reflex to build: before turning right, look down your inside for a bike coming up beside you. It is the single most common way visiting drivers get caught out here.

Speeds and alcohol

Limits are 50 in town, 80 rural and 130 on motorways, with cameras widespread. The alcohol limit is 0.05, slightly above Korea’s 0.03 — but keep it at zero before driving. A modest speeding fine starts around DKK 1,000 (about EUR 135).

See the full rules on our Denmark driving guide and confirm your paperwork with the Driving Permit Checker. The emergency number is 112.

Sources

• borger.dk, foreign driving licence in Denmark (non-Latin licences need an international driving licence or an authorised translation into Danish, English or French): borger.dk
• UN Treaty Collection, Convention on Road Traffic, Geneva 1949 (Republic of Korea and Denmark parties): treaties.un.org
• UN Treaty Collection, Convention on Road Traffic, Vienna 1968 (Republic of Korea signed, not ratified): treaties.un.org