South Korea on a UK Licence 2026: 1949 IDP and Keep Right

Yes, you can drive in South Korea on a UK licence, but only with a second document beside it. The Foreign Office says you need both the 1949 International Driving Permit and your UK driving licence with you in the car. You cannot buy the IDP outside the UK, so it has to be in your bag when you fly. Once you land, Korea’s Road Traffic Act lets you drive on it for one year from the date of entry.

What to have in the car

• Your UK photocard licence, in date
• The 1949 IDP, the version the Foreign Office names for Korea
• Your passport, which shows your entry date

Expect the hire desk to ask for all three. A permit left on the kitchen table at home cannot be replaced from Korea, so pack it with the passport rather than separately.

That is the full answer to “what do I need to drive in Korea” for a British visitor. The driving permit checker covers other countries if Korea is one stop of several.

Korea keeps right

Traffic runs on the right, the mirror of home. The steering wheel is on the left, overtaking happens on the left, and the slips come at junctions, slip roads and roundabouts. Keep the first drive away from central Seoul and let the new layout settle on quieter roads. Collect the car outside the rush hours and set the map app before you pull away, not at the first red light.

More speed tiers than you are used to

UK roads have a handful of national limits. Korea’s Enforcement Rule (article 19) sets more, and the signs matter:

Weather changes the number by law. In rain, snow or fog the limit drops by 20%, and by 50% in the worst conditions. A 100 km/h expressway in heavy fog is effectively a 50 km/h road.

Cameras do most of the policing

Fixed cameras and section-speed stretches log overspeeds automatically. The ticket goes to the registered keeper, which for a hire car means it follows you through the rental company.

To price a different overspeed, try the speeding fine calculator.

Pedestrians and cyclists: the driver is presumed at fault

This is the rule that most surprises British drivers. The Foreign Office says Korean police take the position that the car or motorbike driver is at fault in accidents involving cyclists or pedestrians. If you injure someone, you are likely to face criminal charges and heavy penalties, even if guilt is not proved. Slow right down near crossings and give cyclists a wide berth.

Alcohol: 0.03%

Korea’s limit is 0.03%, less than half of England’s. Penalties include prison and fines. With a margin that thin, the only safe plan is not to drink at all before driving.

Signs, taxis and emergencies

Major routes carry English under the Korean script, but minor roads and parking signs often do not, so download an offline map. If you switch to taxis for an evening, expect drivers to speak little or no English; have your destination written in Korean, with a map if you can. The Foreign Office also points drivers to the Korea Tourism Organization’s driving guidance for the finer rules.

Call 112 for the police and 119 for fire and ambulance. The South Korea driving guide covers the rest.

Sources

• UK Foreign Office, South Korea travel advice: safety and security (1949 IDP with UK licence; IDP only sold in the UK; drivers at fault with cyclists and pedestrians; alcohol; taxis; Korea Tourism Organization guidance): gov.uk
• UK Foreign Office, South Korea travel advice: getting help (police 112, fire and ambulance 119): gov.uk
• Korean government legal portal (easylaw), driving with a foreign licence or international permit (Road Traffic Act article 96: one year from entry): easylaw.go.kr
• Enforcement Rule of the Road Traffic Act, article 19 (speed tiers; cuts of 20% and 50% in bad weather): law.go.kr
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Republic of Korea profile (0.03 g/dl BAC): who.int