S. Korea to expand mobile traffic ticket system

(Yonhap)

South Korean police on Thursday said they plan to expand the recently implemented system of sending out mobile phone notifications for traffic law violations, instead of having officers print the notification and handing it to offenders directly.

The mobile traffic ticket system was implemented by the National Police Agency on Dec. 21 as a measure to minimize the equipment that police officers have to carry. The previous system required officers to submit information on traffic violations to the police system via a smartphone and print the tickets on a portable printer.

Those issued with a mobile notification can access it through a verification process and will be given a virtual account through which payment for a fine can be submitted. According to the NPA, 13 percent of the 54,977 traffic tickets issued between Dec. 21 and Jan. 9 were done via mobile phone.

"(Police) are currently using (mobile tickets) to supplement printed tickets, but we plan to expand (the system's) use even more in a bid to digitalize police administrative duties," the NPA said.

The NPA added that the system's test run with the Sejong Provincial Police Agency has garnered a positive reaction from officers, who said it has helped reduce the time officials spend issuing traffic tickets on the road, along with reducing the number of complaints from the road users.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)