The Korea Herald

지나쌤

Korea considers adopting European design for car license plates

By Lim Jeong-yeo

Published : Nov. 19, 2018 - 13:10

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Starting in September 2019, Korea may change the look of its license plates for newly registered cars.

Instead of six digits, the new plates under consideration would have seven. The Hangeul character that follows the second digit would instead follow the third.

The addition of a digit would allow 210 million new cars to roam the country, a move the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport calls “ample preparation for the era of a reunified Korea.” 

The ministry is also considering a change of font and design for private vehicles not used for business purposes, with the addition of a taegeuk symbol. 


(Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport) (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)


The font that is being considered is called FE and is currently used in Germany, but would be adapted for the Korean script. The font is considered more readable and its use would make it easier for people to recognize partially obscured plate numbers.

Opinions are being invited for two weeks from Monday through Dec. 2 at www.molit.go.kr/carplate.

The survey results will be reflected in the decision, which will be made by the end of the year.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)