Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Seatbelts mandatory for all passengers from Friday
Buckle up, everyone. Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
Starting tomorrow, all car passengers will have to buckle up.
The National Police Agency said Thursday that a new enforcement ordinance requiring all car passengers to wear seatbelts on Korea's roads will come into force on Friday.
A driver will be fined 30,000 won ($27) if any passenger violates the rule. The fine will be 60,000 won if the passenger is 13 or younger.
Police said they are planning to start cracking down on seatbelt violations in December, after a two-month awareness campaign.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, passengers in rear seats are less likely to buckle up (14.8 percent), compared with drivers (88.4 percent) and front-seat passengers (81.4 percent).