***UPDATE: all 50cc scooters must have license plates AND insurance by July 1st. I initially thought only license plates were required but insurance is now also required. Again, failure to do so is a 500,000 won fine.
Since I'm on my fourth motorcycle now in Korea, I was hoping this topic could help some of you out concerning scooters and/or motorcycles in Korea. This is up to date as of March/April, 2012.
I am fluent in Korean so all information is accurate and comes from the Korean Department of Motor Vehicles. I've kind of gotten annoyed of other foreigners telling me what you can and can't do so I thought this thread could help some people. So whatever you're hearing from other foreigners contrary to this thread, is wrong.
Q: I heard that under 50cc/100cc scooters don't require a Korean license?
A: A Korean license is required for ALL two wheeled vehicles exceeding 25km/h which includes 50cc scooters. So yes, you do need a Korean driver's license to legally operate a 50cc scooter. Failure to do so is a 1,000,000 fine and a one year suspension of operating a motor vehicle in Korea.
Q: Do I need to wear a helmet?
