Police refute claim of numerous traffic law changes in 2026

The Korean National Police Agency has pushed back against a wave of online misinformation about proposed traffic rule changes for 2026, including a universal reduction in school zone limits to 20 kilometers per hour.

Pedestrians move through a school zone near an elementary school in Seoul on Feb. 18, 2024. [YONHAP]

The Korean National Police Agency has pushed back against a wave of online misinformation about proposed traffic rule changes for 2026, including a universal reduction in school zone limits from the current 30 kilometers per hour to 20 kilometers per hour (from 18 miles per hour to 12 miles per hour).

The agency issued a press release on Tuesday after an image claiming to enumerate traffic rule changes in 2026 circulated widely online. The police said the image presented "unconfirmed or nonexistent measures as if they were finalized policy."

Officials said several of the claims had no legal basis and corrected the information item by item.

Current rules set school zone speed limits at 30 kilometers per hour, and officials said they have no plan to impose a nationwide reduction. The law, however, does allow local authorities to designate 20-kilometer-per-hour limits in specific high-risk areas.

The police also denied claims that Korea will raise the minimum age for operating personal mobility devices such as e-scooters to 18. Under current law, anyone 16 or older who holds a motorized bicycle license may operate such devices, and officials have not pursued legislation to change the requirement.

Posts claiming that the legal threshold for drunk driving will tighten to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 percent also lack a factual basis.

"Korea already strengthened the standard to 0.03 percent in 2018 under the Yoon Chang-ho Law, and we have no plan to lower it further," the national police agency said.

Claims that drivers must always stop at crosswalks are only partly accurate.

Drivers must stop at general crosswalks only when pedestrians are crossing or preparing to cross. At signal-free crosswalks within school zones, however, drivers must stop regardless of pedestrian presence.

The police also addressed exaggerated claims about the expanded use of AI in automated traffic enforcement. Authorities currently use automated systems to enforce speed limits, traffic signals and bus-only lane violations on expressways. Officials said they have no plan to extend automated enforcement to lane changes or failure to maintain a safe following distance.

A student moves through a school zone near an elementary school in Seoul on Feb. 18, 2024. [YONHAP]

Claims that vehicles parked or stopped in bicycle lanes face immediate towing are also inaccurate. Authorities may order vehicles moved if they pose a danger or obstruction, but not every violation triggers removal. Actual measures depend on local ordinances and on-site conditions.

Online claims that drivers aged 70 or older must renew their licenses every three years also misstate current rules. Drivers aged 65 to 74 renew every five years, while those 75 or older renew every three years. Officials said they have no plan to lower the threshold to 70.

The agency also rejected claims that authorities amended the law to allow the collection and use of vehicle owners’ phone numbers for illegal parking enforcement and that Korea will introduce new license plates in 2026.

"The Personal Information Protection Act bars government bodies from collecting phone numbers, and we have no plan to change license plates in 2026," the police said.

The agency urged the public to verify information about changes to traffic rules through official announcements or legislative revisions when such claims circulate online and said it will actively clarify facts to prevent confusion caused by misinformation.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY BAE JAE-SUNG [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]