The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the details of eased rules on car tune-ups, aimed at promoting the vehicle-tuning business as a growth engine, Sunday.

The revised rulings, for instance, will remove the year limit on transforming an internal combustion engine-based car into an electrified vehicle. Under the current regulations, only cars with less than five years of history were subject to such tune-up by the law.


In addition, the ministry eased the rules on how the tune-up tests run.

Barriers on the installment of structures on vehicles will be lifted, which will allow drivers to install minor equipment such as rooftop tents and running boards.

“We expect these changes will help the tune-up business grow faster,” the official added.

The government has pushed the deregulation drive to enhance the car tuning industry to the 4 trillion won ($3.5 billion) market with over 40,000 jobs in 2020 from 500 billion won with 10,000 jobs in 2012.

By Hong Sung-pyo (hong1@heraldcorp.com)