South Korea on a Canadian Licence — IDP Required, 0.03 Alcohol

For a Canadian, the hardest part of driving in South Korea happens before the engine starts. This is one of the countries that genuinely requires an International Driving Permit, and the rule that catches people out is not the road — it is the rental counter and the breathalyser.

Sort the permit at home. South Korea recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP, which you arrange in Canada through CAA before you fly. It is not a translation you can pick up at the airport; without it the rental company is within its rights to refuse the car, and a police stop without it is a separate offence. Carry the IDP, your Canadian licence and your passport as a set — all three, every time. Your home licence backs the IDP for stays of up to twelve months.

The second adjustment is alcohol, and it is a steep one. Korea’s limit is 0.03 BAC against Canada’s 0.08 — less than half. The penalty ladder is unforgiving: a reading between 0.03 and 0.08 brings a substantial fine and licence suspension, and above 0.08 the licence is revoked outright, with possible custody. There is no social-drink margin here, so the only safe number before driving is zero.

On the road itself the differences are milder. Driving is on the right, the same as Canada, so there is no side to relearn. Expressways run at 110 km/h, rural roads at 80 and cities at 50. The thing to respect is the camera density — fixed speed cameras and average-speed (section) enforcement are everywhere on the expressway network, and a 10 km/h overshoot costs around KRW 30,000. Signage carries English on major routes but thins out on smaller roads, so offline maps earn their keep. Fuel is about €1.42 a litre and the emergency number is 112.

Confirm your document set with the Driving Permit Checker, read the wider rules on our South Korea driving guide, and if a camera fine surfaces after you have flown home, our Driving fines abroad — who pays guide explains how it is recovered.