The Korean National Police Agency said it will carry out a two-month special crackdown on illegal acts by cargo trucks from the 26th through July 25. The move follows a continued rise since 2023 in highway traffic fatalities caused by cargo trucks, and related agencies including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS) will take part in the operation.
First, authorities will crack down on cases where speed limiters, which must be installed on large cargo trucks over 3.5 tons (t), are illegally deactivated and the vehicles are driven at excessive speeds. Based on unmanned highway enforcement data, they will identify violating vehicles, and if inspections confirm the speed limiter was deactivated, the driver will face criminal charges for violating the Road Traffic Act. Local governments will also be asked to conduct inspections and restore the devices to their original state.
They will also crack down on illegal structural modifications (tuning), violations of designated lanes, and failures to take measures to prevent cargo from falling, and will impose fines.
Acting Director Lee Seoyoung of the Safety and Transportation Bureau at the Korean National Police Agency said, "Tragic fatalities from traffic crashes involving cargo trucks have continued to occur recently," and urged, "For themselves and for other drivers, cargo truck drivers should make safe driving a habit."