“I was planning to get my driver’s license after graduating from high school, but even if I got it right away, I can’t afford to buy a car,” said university student Lee Jun-mo, 23.
“Using public transportation or options like shared bikes feels much more realistic for someone like me.”
Lee’s view is increasingly common among young South Koreans.
Far fewer people in their teens and 20s are obtaining driver’s licenses than just a few years ago, according to data released Wednesday by the Korean National Police Agency.
The number of teenagers who earned a license in 2023 was down 20 percent from 2020. Among people in their 20s, the drop was even sharper, with a 30 percent decline over the same period.
And this isn't a pandemic effect. New license issuances are down 13.5 percent from 2019, too.
As demand has decreased, so has supply.
The number of driving schools across the country fell to 342 in the first quarter of this year, down from 367 in early 2020.
The decline reflects a shift in perception, according to the police agency.
Many young people now see a license as both expensive and unnecessary, especially with the growing availability of discounted public transportation programs like the Climate Transit Card and the K-Pass.
In Seoul, the average cost of attending driving school for a Class 2 automatic license reached 900,000 won ($650), in the first quarter of this year. That figure marks a 29 percent increase from five years ago, when the average cost was 700,000 won.
Financial pressures on young adults are also evident in car ownership trends. According to a recent report by the Korea Automobile and Mobility Association, new car purchases among people in their 20s fell by 12 percent last year compared with the previous year. It was the steepest decline among all age groups.
ssh@heraldcorp.com
