Overseas Koreans can renew Class 1 driver's licenses at diplomatic missions

Overseas Koreans can renew Class 1 driver’s licenses and apply for international driving permits at 188 diplomatic missions starting Monday. Class 1 renewals are processed in Korea and sent to the mission for pickup if applicants have a domestic health checkup or physical exam on record from the past two years. Applicants without such a record are not eligible for the renewal service. The change followed a survey of overseas Koreans’ complaints about public services.

Class 1 licenses cover larger vehicles, including trucks of up to 12 tons, while Class 2 licenses are mainly for passenger cars.

Diplomatic missions have handled driver’s license paperwork since 2013, but previously could renew only Class 2 licenses and reissue lost or damaged licenses.

Class 1 renewals require an aptitude test that includes an eye exam.

International driving permits applied for at a mission are issued in Korea and sent to the mission for pickup abroad.

The Overseas Koreans Agency conducted the public-service complaints survey in January and February. Kim Kyung-hyup said the new service resulted from cooperation among related agencies, while Acting Police Commissioner Kim Jong-cheol said it addresses an inconvenience raised directly by overseas Koreans.

Published Nov 2, 2026 2:01 pm KST

Koreans living abroad will no longer need to fly back to Korea to update their driving credentials, as overseas embassies and consulates begin processing Class 1 driver’s license renewals and issuing international driving permits, the government said Monday.

The service begins Monday at 188 diplomatic missions, according to the Overseas Koreans Agency, the Korean National Police Agency and the Korea Road Traffic Authority (KoROAD).

Korea has two ordinary license classes. A Class 1 license covers larger vehicles, such as trucks of up to 12 tons. A Class 2 license is mainly for passenger cars.

Diplomatic missions have handled driver’s license paperwork since 2013. Until now, they could only renew Class 2 licenses and reissue lost or damaged ones, because Class 1 renewals require an aptitude test that includes an eye exam.

Under the new system, Class 1 licenses will be renewed in Korea if the applicant has a domestic health checkup or physical exam on record from the past two years. The license is then sent to the mission for pickup. Applicants with no such record cannot get a license through the service.

International driving permits applied for at a mission will also be issued in Korea and sent to the mission for pickup abroad.

Applicants should check eligibility requirements and documents on the Government for Overseas Koreans portal or KoROAD’s licensing site. Requirements vary by service.

The change follows a survey of overseas Koreans’ complaints about public services, which the agency carried out in January and February.

“This service is a leading example of resolving complaints through cooperation among related agencies, based on the results of the survey,” Overseas Koreans Agency Commissioner Kim Kyung-hyup said.

Acting Police Commissioner Kim Jong-cheol said the change is significant because it fixes an inconvenience that overseas Koreans raised directly. Without it, they would have had to return home or use a proxy.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

从周一起，海外韩裔人士可在188个驻外使领馆办理一级驾照续期及国际驾照申请。一级驾照续期手续在韩国办理完毕后，如申请人持有近两年内在韩国进行的健康检查或体检记录，则可前往使领馆领取。无此类记录的申请人则无法办理续期手续。此项变更源于一项针对海外韩裔人士对公共服务投诉的调查。

1 类驾照涵盖大型车辆，包括 12 吨以下的卡车，而 2 类驾照主要适用于乘用车。

自 2013 年以来，外交使团一直负责处理驾驶执照文件，但此前只能更新 2 类驾驶执照和重新签发丢失或损坏的驾驶执照。

1 类驾照续期需要进行能力测试，其中包括视力检查。

在使领馆申请的国际驾驶许可证由韩国签发，然后寄送至海外使领馆，供其领取。

海外韩人事务厅于1月和2月开展了公共服务投诉调查。金京协表示，这项新服务是相关部门合作的成果，而代理警察厅长官金钟哲则表示，该服务旨在解决海外韩人直接提出的不便之处。

发布于2026年11月2日下午2:01（韩国标准时间）

韩国政府周一表示，居住在海外的韩国人将不再需要飞回韩国更新驾驶证件，因为海外使领馆已开始办理1级驾驶执照续期和签发国际驾驶许可证。

据韩国海外事务厅、韩国国家警察厅和韩国道路交通管理局（KoROAD）称，该服务将于周一在 188 个外交使团开始提供。

韩国有两种普通驾照等级。1级驾照适用于大型车辆，例如12吨以下的卡车。2级驾照主要用于乘用车。

自 2013 年以来，外交使团一直负责处理驾驶执照相关文件。此前，他们只能续签 2 类驾驶执照和补发丢失或损坏的驾驶执照，因为 1 类驾驶执照的续签需要进行能力倾向测试，其中包括视力检查。

在新制度下，申请人如持有过去两年内在韩国进行的健康检查或体检记录，即可在韩国境内续领一级驾照。续领的驾照将被寄送至使领馆，供申请人领取。没有此类记录的申请人则无法通过此项服务获得驾照。

在使领馆申请的国际驾驶许可证也将在韩国签发，并寄送至使领馆，供其在国外领取。

申请人应在韩国海外公民政府门户网站或韩国道路交通管理局（KoROAD）的许可网站上查询资格要求和所需文件。不同服务的要求有所不同。

此次变化源于该机构在1月和2月对海外韩国人就公共服务投诉情况进行的调查。

“根据调查结果，这项服务是相关机构之间合作解决投诉的典范，”海外韩人事务专员金京协表示。

代理警察厅长官金钟哲表示，这项改革意义重大，因为它解决了海外韩国人直接提出的不便之处。如果没有这项改革，他们就不得不返回韩国或委托他人代办。

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。