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Straits Times
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Fewer young South Koreans are seeking driving licences
Many young South Koreans see a driving licence as expensive and unnecessary, especially with the growing availability of discounted public transportation programmes. PHOTO: AFP SEOUL - 'I was planning to get my driver's licence after graduating from high school, but even if I got it right away, I couldn't afford to buy a car,' said university student Lee Jun-mo, 23. 'Using public transportation or options like shared bikes feels much more realistic for someone like me.' Mr Lee's view is increasingly common among young South Koreans. Far fewer people in their teens and 20s are obtaining driver's licences than just a few years ago, according to data released on May 28 by the Korean National Police Agency. The number of teenagers who earned a licence in 2023 was down 20 per cent from 2020. Among people in their 20s, the drop was even sharper, with a 30 per cent decline over the same period. And this is not a pandemic effect. New licence issuances are down 13.5 per cent from 2019, too. As demand has decreased, so has supply. The number of driving schools across the country fell to 342 in the first quarter of 2025, down from 367 in early 2020. The decline reflects a shift in perception, according to the police agency. Many young people now see a licence as both expensive and unnecessary, especially with the growing availability of discounted public transportation programmes like the Climate Transit Card and the K-Pass. In Seoul, the average cost of attending driving school for a Class 2 automatic licence reached 900,000 won (S$844), in the first quarter of 2025. That figure marks a 29 per cent increase from five years ago, when the average cost was 700,000 won. Financial pressures on young adults are also evident in car ownership trends. According to a recent report by the Korea Automobile and Mobility Association, new car purchases among people in their 20s fell by 12 per cent in 2024 compared with 2023. It was the steepest decline among all age groups. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Korea Herald
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Korea Herald
Fewer young Koreans are seeking driver's licenses
'I was planning to get my driver's license after graduating from high school, but even if I got it right away, I can't afford to buy a car,' said university student Lee Jun-mo, 23. 'Using public transportation or options like shared bikes feels much more realistic for someone like me.' Lee's view is increasingly common among young South Koreans. Far fewer people in their teens and 20s are obtaining driver's licenses than just a few years ago, according to data released Wednesday by the Korean National Police Agency. The number of teenagers who earned a license in 2023 was down 20 percent from 2020. Among people in their 20s, the drop was even sharper, with a 30 percent decline over the same period. And this isn't a pandemic effect. New license issuances are down 13.5 percent from 2019, too. As demand has decreased, so has supply. The number of driving schools across the country fell to 342 in the first quarter of this year, down from 367 in early 2020. The decline reflects a shift in perception, according to the police agency. Many young people now see a license as both expensive and unnecessary, especially with the growing availability of discounted public transportation programs like the Climate Transit Card and the K-Pass. In Seoul, the average cost of attending driving school for a Class 2 automatic license reached 900,000 won ($650), in the first quarter of this year. That figure marks a 29 percent increase from five years ago, when the average cost was 700,000 won. Financial pressures on young adults are also evident in car ownership trends. According to a recent report by the Korea Automobile and Mobility Association, new car purchases among people in their 20s fell by 12 percent last year compared with the previous year. It was the steepest decline among all age groups.
Korea Herald
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Travel bans imposed on former PM, finance minister
Travel bans for ex-PSS top officials also extended Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and former Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok have been banned from leaving the country for their alleged connection to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law attempt in December 2024, according to the police on Tuesday. The announcement by the Korean National Police Agency comes a day after the KNPA's National Office of Investigation conducted interrogations that lasted approximately 10 hours with Han, Choi and former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min regarding their involvement in the martial law debacle. During interrogations, the former ministers were reportedly questioned about whether they made false statements about the process of receiving martial law-related documents on the night martial law was declared, based on police analysis of surveillance footage of the presidential office's Cabinet meeting room and hallway. According to the Korean National Police Agency, a travel ban had already been imposed on Han and Choi around the middle of May. Lee's exit ban, which was already in place since December last year, was also extended. The police also announced on Tuesday that it has extended the travel bans placed on Yoon's former chiefs of the Presidential Security Service, including former PSS chief Park Chong-jun, former PSS deputy chief Kim Seong-hoon and former head of the PSS' bodyguard division Lee Kwang-woo. The decision comes after the police obtained secure phone server records on May 23, including calls and texts exchanged between Yoon and government ministers, military officials and PSS personnel. The police announced three days later that it had detected signs that some call records of a secure phone held by Yoon had been remotely deleted. Though police officials were quoted in local media reports saying that the PSS is believed to be responsible for deleting the records, they are still in the process of narrowing down a suspect. The police plans to move ahead with investigations by looking into when the three individuals first became aware of Yoon's plan to declare martial law, and whether they knew about the plan in advance before martial law was officially declared.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Son Heung-min blackmail: Two arrested after Premier League star files complaint
South Korean police have arrested two people for allegedly attempting to blackmail Tottenham Hotspur and South Korea captain Son Heung-min by falsely claiming one of them was pregnant with his child, authorities announced on Thursday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The suspects are a woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s, according to a spokesperson for the Korean National Police Agency. Son's agency, Son & Football Limited, filed a police complaint against the pair and stated they would pursue legal action. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. "We stress that Son Heung-min is unequivocally the victim in this case," the agency said in a statement. "They threatened the player by saying they would spread false information." The incident, which is understood to have occurred in June of last year, saw the two accused approach the player in an attempt to extort several million won. Why Shane Watson Wrote The Winner's Mindset | BSE ft. Shane Watson Son has declared his intention to "complete" his Tottenham career by leading the team to victory in the upcoming Europa League final against Manchester United on May 21. However, the 32-year-old forward has been facing pressure this season due to underwhelming performances for the club. The South Korean has managed to score just 7 goals and set up another 9 in the 29 appearances he made in the Premier League this season. These numbers are a sharp dip from what he achieved last season - 17 goals and 10 assists in 35 matches. Poll What do you think about Son Heung-min's and Spurs' chances in the upcoming Europa League final vs Manchester United? Low chances Moderate chances High chances of winning The striker has been a key player for the north London club, scoring 173 goals in 451 appearances over his 10-season tenure.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
South Korea police arrest two over Son Heung-min 'blackmail'
Two people have been arrested for allegedly blackmailing Spurs and South Korea captain Son Heung-min, police said Thursday. The accused are a woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s, a spokesperson for the Korean National Police Agency told AFP. The two allegedly tried to extort money from the 32-year-old forward by falsely claiming that the woman was pregnant with Son's child, Yonhap news agency said. The footballer's agency, Son & Football Limited, said it filed a police complaint for blackmail and will pursue "strong legal action without leniency". The two "threatened the player by saying they would spread false information", the agency alleged in a statement. "We stress that Son Heung-min is unequivocally the victim in this case," it added. Son recently vowed to "complete" his Tottenham career by leading the struggling Premier League team to Europa League glory in the final against Manchester United on May 21. He has scored 173 goals in 451 appearances across 10 seasons in north London, but has come under pressure this year after a series of underwhelming displays. cdl/ceb/pst
