Korea to require seatbelts for all passengers
Buckle up, everyone. / Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
All car passengers will have to wear seatbelts starting later this year.
The National Police Agency said early this week that a new rule requiring every passenger to wear a seatbelt will come into force on Sept. 28, after a six-month grace period.
The driver will be fined 30,000 won ($28), if any passenger violates the rule. The fine will be 60,000 won, if the passenger is 13 years old or younger.
Given that bus and taxi drivers do not have the legal means to force passengers to buckle up, the government is considering applying different rules for such drivers.
The new law will also require bicycle riders to be sober and to wear a safety helmet.