Cars must stop before making a right on red, new Korean traffic law says

A road sign at an intersection in Seoul bans cars from making a right turn on red. [NEWS1]

Cars making a right turn at an intersection must come to a full stop at the red light even when there is no pedestrian on the road.

The new Korean road law that requires cars to make a full stop at a red light before a right turn will be enforced from Saturday, the National Police Agency announced Thursday.

The revised law has been in test operation since Jan. 22. The police had only given on-site guidance for the past three months.

From Saturday, at intersections with a right turn signal, cars must wait for the green arrow to make a right turn.

At intersections without a right turn signal, cars must come to a full stop before making a right turn at a red light.

Even under a green light, cars must come to a full stop when a pedestrian is crossing the crosswalk.

A van driver will be fined 70,000 won ($53) for not following the law, a sedan driver 60,000 won and a two-wheeled vehicle driver 40,000 won.

The police will “enforce the law to establish a traffic culture that prioritizes the safety of pedestrians at crosswalks at the very least,” a police spokesperson said.

BY BAE JAE-SUNG [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]