Last year, 26,712 vehicles including automobiles and motorcycles were detected for illegal modifications (tuning) and safety standard violations. The most common issues for automobiles were unauthorized changes to the cargo area, while for motorcycles, it was unauthorized changes to the lighting devices (tail, brake, and turn signals).

According to the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS), safety inspections were conducted on a total of 26,712 vehicles, including 23,793 automobiles and 2,919 motorcycles, and a total of 35,323 violations were confirmed.

On Mar. 7, last year, a joint crackdown on trucks violating the Road Traffic Act is taking place at the Seopyom-tollgate in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, by the South Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency, Korea Transportation Safety Authority, and Korea Expressway Corporation. /Courtesy of Gyeonggi Photo Joint Coverage Group

The total number of inspections decreased by 2,767 vehicles (7.3%) compared to the previous year. While safety standard violations decreased by 3,270 cases (11%), illegal modification violations increased by 1,017 cases (17%). Violations related to registration plates decreased by 568 cases (25.7%).

Among the illegal modification violations, automobiles had 3,201 unauthorized changes to the cargo area, 1,066 changes to vehicle specifications, and 958 unauthorized changes to lighting devices. For motorcycles, there were 709 unauthorized changes to lighting devices and 294 modifications to exhaust systems.

If illegal modifications are detected, restoration to original condition and a temporary inspection order will be issued, along with imprisonment of up to one year or fines of up to 10 million won. Safety standard violations can result in inspection, maintenance, or restoration orders, with administrative fines of up to 1 million won, while violations related to registration plates can result in imprisonment of up to one year or fines of up to 10 million won.

Jeong Yong-sik, director of the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, noted that "Vehicles that have been illegally modified or do not meet safety standards not only affect the driver but can also pose a risk for other drivers on the road, potentially leading to traffic accidents," and added, "We will expand inspections through collaboration with relevant agencies such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Korean National Police Agency, and local governments, and strive to promote a safe and legitimate automobile tuning culture."