South Korea

Is punishment enhanced for accidents caused by running a?

Up to 5 years
Imprisonment
₩30M
Max fine
2 years
License revocation
Art. 148-2
RTA section
The Short Answer

Yes, punishment is enhanced for traffic accidents caused by running a red light under South Korea’s Road Traffic Act, which imposes stricter penalties for violations that directly cause injury or death.

What the Law Says

South Korea’s Road Traffic Act explicitly enhances penalties when a red-light violation results in injury or death. The law treats such conduct as an aggravated traffic offense with mandatory harsher sanctions.

Under Article 148-2 of the Road Traffic Act, any driver who violates a traffic signal (including running a red light) and thereby causes injury or death faces significantly increased criminal and administrative penalties.

The enhancement applies regardless of whether the driver intended harm — causation alone triggers the aggravated penalty regime.

Penalties include imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to ₩30 million, and mandatory driver’s license revocation for at least two years.

Statutory Text

Any person who violates a traffic signal and thereby causes injury to another person shall be punished by imprisonment with labor for not more than five years or a fine of not more than thirty million won.

— Road Traffic Act, Art. 148-2 — Aggravated Penalty for Signal Violations Causing Injury
Statutory Text

Where the violation causes death, the punishment shall be imprisonment with labor for not more than five years or a fine of not more than thirty million won.

— Road Traffic Act, Art. 148-2 — Aggravated Penalty for Signal Violations Causing Death

What to Do

1

Immediately stop and secure the scene; call 119 for medical help and 112 for police.

2

Cooperate fully with authorities and avoid admitting fault at the scene.

3

Consult a Korean-licensed attorney before making statements to investigators.

4

Preserve all evidence (dashcam footage, photos, witness contacts).

5

Expect automatic license suspension pending investigation under Article 148-2.

Sources

statuteRoad Traffic Act, Art. 148-2 — Aggravated Penalty for Signal Violations Causing Injury or Death

Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.