South Korea on a French Licence 2026: IDP Required, 0.03
France
South Korea
No: a French card alone does not work in South Korea. You need an international permit, 1949 or 1968, carried with the licence and valid for one year from entry. Traffic keeps right, the alcohol limit is 0.03% against 0.05% in France, and 112 is the police there, not a general number.
Does a French licence work in South Korea? Not on its own. French drivers are used to an EU card that works across Europe, and Korea is a reminder that “international” has a legal meaning. Under article 96 of the Road Traffic Act, a visitor may drive for one year from the date of entry on an international permit issued under the 1949 Geneva or 1968 Vienna convention, or under a bilateral agreement. The permit must be carried with the licence and shown to police on request.
The permit, step by step
In France the permit comes from ANTS. Apply well before departure, since it cannot be issued once you are abroad. Carry the French licence, the permit and your passport together. If you do not carry the permit, the Korean legal portal says the fine can reach KRW 200,000, and the hire firm can in any case refuse the car. The one-year clock starts at entry, so it covers any normal trip and a long working holiday. The driving permit checker shows what other destinations need.
Same side, new habits
South Korea drives on the right, so the side switch is not the problem. The shocks are elsewhere:
- the speed limits on ordinary roads outside towns are low;
- the alcohol limit is lower than yours;
- the emergency numbers are not the ones you know.
The UK Foreign Office adds that police generally hold drivers at fault in accidents with cyclists or pedestrians, which should make you slow in busy streets.
Speed limits, compared with France
| France | South Korea | |
|---|---|---|
| Towns | 50 km/h | 50 km/h on ordinary roads |
| Outside towns | 80 km/h, 90 on some signed roads | 60 km/h, 80 on dual carriageways |
| Expressways | 130 km/h | 100 km/h, 120 on designated routes |
A driver who is used to 130 on an autoroute will feel the Korean 100 as a squeeze, and the ordinary-road limit of 60 outside towns is a long way below the French default of 80. The Enforcement Rule also requires limits to fall by 20% or 50% in rain, snow or fog, which turns a 100 km/h expressway into 80 or even 50. Set the cruise control accordingly.
Alcohol: from 0.05 to 0.03
The Korean limit is 0.03%, against 0.05% in France. That is a small number on paper and a big difference in practice: one glass of wine with dinner can put a lighter driver at or above the line. The UK Foreign Office notes that penalties include prison and fines. Treat the rule as no drinking before driving, and plan a taxi.
Numbers to change in your phone
At home you can dial 112 in Europe for any emergency, or 15, 17 and 18 in France for ambulance, police and fire. In South Korea, 112 reaches the police, and 119 reaches fire and ambulance. That swap matters because a French reflex of “112 for everything” gets you the wrong service when someone needs a medic.
What the car carries
A warning triangle is listed as required; a reflective vest is recommended. Check that the hire car has the triangle before you leave the lot.
Why the permit matters on day one
Korean rental desks and police both look for the permit first, and a French card with no permit is treated as an undocumented driver. If a hire firm hands over the keys anyway, the legal risk stays with you, not with the firm. A driver who is stopped at a checkpoint and cannot show the permit faces the fine and a delay, so keep the permit in the same wallet as the licence.
A first-day routine
- Show the rental desk your licence and permit together, and ask them to note the permit on the contract.
- Photograph the permit, licence and passport.
- Save 112 and 119 with their meanings.
- Choose a quiet route for the first drive.
More detail is on the South Korea driving guide, and the speeding fine calculator gives a rough idea of penalties.
Sources
- Korean government legal portal (easylaw), driving with a foreign licence or international permit (Road Traffic Act article 96; one year from entry; 1949, 1968 and bilateral permits; fine up to KRW 200,000 for not carrying it): easylaw.go.kr
- Enforcement Rule of the Road Traffic Act, article 19 (speed limits and weather reductions): law.go.kr
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice, South Korea safety and security (drink-driving penalties; drivers held at fault with cyclists and pedestrians): gov.uk
- WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Republic of Korea and France profiles (0.03 and 0.05 g/dl): who.int, who.int
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Your home country driving rules for reference
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Frequently Asked Questions
Only with an international driving permit. Korea's Road Traffic Act lets visitors drive for one year from entry on a permit issued under the 1949 Geneva or 1968 Vienna convention, carried with the licence and shown to police on request. Apply through ANTS in France before you fly.
Yes, both drive on the right, so there is no side switch. The adjustments are the lower alcohol limit, the 60 km/h limit on ordinary roads outside towns and the emergency numbers.
0.03% blood alcohol, lower than France's 0.05%. The UK Foreign Office notes that penalties include prison and fines, so do not drink before driving.
Police are on 112 and fire and ambulance on 119. French drivers who think of 112 as the general European number should note that in Korea it reaches the police only.