40,000 lost driver’s licenses for repeated drunk driving in 2007-2011

More than 40,000 Koreans had their driver's licenses canceled over the past five years after being caught driving drunk more than three times, police statistics showed Sunday.

Under South Korean law, license-holders caught driving drunk three times in three years or four times in five years automatically have their licenses rescinded. The regulation is widely known as a "three-strikes-and-you're-out" system.

According to police data released by Rep. Jean Hae-sook, a total of 43,834 people had their licenses canceled under the system from 2007 through 2011. The yearly figures are 7,362 in 2007, 9,540 in 2008, 8,846 in 2009, 9,510 in 2010 and 8,576 in 2011. (Yonhap)