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Ulsan paid older drivers to give up their licenses. It worked.

Published: 16 Apr. 2025, 16:45

Police conduct DUI tests in Jeju Island on April 10. [NEWS1]

The city of Ulsan is paying its older citizens to hand in their driver's licenses — and it's working.

Hundreds of older drivers in Ulsan’s Ulju County voluntarily surrendered their driver’s licenses just one month after the local government dramatically increased its incentives.

The county has seen 410 citizens over the age of 65 turn in their licenses over the last month, the county government said Wednesday. The figure already exceeds the 358 total returns recorded for all of last year.

Ulju County has about 24,000 licensed drivers aged 65 or older, reflecting a relatively high proportion of older residents.

The sharp increase in participation is attributed to a generous new benefit package launched this year. In an effort to reduce traffic accidents involving older drivers, Ulju raised the value of incentives from 100,000 won ($70) to 500,000 won. The package includes 400,000 won in Onnuri regional gift cards and a transportation card worth 100,000 won, provided in partnership with the city of Ulsan.

Senior citizens over the age of 75 receive training programs to get their driver's licenses renewed on July 3, 2024, in Daejeon. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Of those who returned their licenses, 319 — or 78 percent — were aged 70 or older, indicating that the policy is particularly effective among those more aware of safety concerns and the challenges of driving at an advanced age, according to the regional government.

“At first, we weren’t sure if the increased benefit would lead to more people giving up their licenses,” said an Ulju County official. “But in practice, over 90 percent of the 450 Onnuri certificate sets allocated to each town — valued at 400,000 won per person — were claimed in a short time. We’re now in a position where we need to allocate additional funding to meet demand.”

Ulju plans to run a second benefit period in July. Older drivers who surrender their licenses before then will be placed on a waiting list and receive the same 500,000 won benefit package during the next round.

Police conduct DUI tests in Jeju Island on April 10. [YONHAP]

Other municipalities across the country are operating similar programs. In Seoul, drivers aged 70 and over receive a transportation card preloaded with 200,000 won. In Daegu, those aged 65 and up are given a prepaid card worth 100,000 won in the local business voucher “Daeguro Pay.” Damyang County in South Jeolla offers a service that lets senior drivers know when they are driving outside the lane.

Separately, the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency has launched a traffic safety campaign that includes the distribution of 10,000 car stickers reading “Elderly Driver On Board” to local senior centers.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY KIM YOUN-HO [[email protected]]