(1) Reasons for Proposal

Due to the amendment of the Motor Vehicle Management Act (Act No. 175353, promulgated on October 20, 2020, to be enforced on April 21, 2021) that mandates the notification of the free repair plan by text messages using a mobile phone in addition to mail notification, the Amendment aims to reflect the subordinate statutes that stipulate the details of the notice of the free repair plan, to apply tighter inspection standards for motor vehicles to ensure that the flat spring, which has been only recommended for corrective action, is determined as non-conforming for severe corrosion or breakage because if severe corrosion or breakage occurs in the flat spring used as a shock absorber of a truck, it may become dislodged and fall on the road and cause an accident, and to allow inspectors to selectively install a pit or lift in the auto inspection facility standards in order to eliminate partial obstruction of vision that occurs during vehicle inspection using a pit, thereby improving the accuracy of inspections.  In addition, the Amendment aims to allow users to reissue and re-seal any lost or stolen license plate of a two-wheeled vehicle, and any lost license plate and seal of a two-wheeled vehicle anywhere in the country so as to improve the convenience to the public, to add a new field to describe the inspection expiration date for two-wheeled vehicles in the certificate of reporting the use of two-wheeled vehicles to make it easier to check the periodic inspection date, and to render other certificates also available for use in addition to the accredited certificate due to the amendment to the Digital Signature Act (amended on June 9, 2020, to be enforced on June 10, 2021). 

(2) Major Provisions

A. When a manufacturer, etc., notifies the owner of a motor vehicle of a free repair plan, require the party to send the notification by text message using a mobile phone in addition to mail notification (Article 49-7 (2));

1) reflect the amendment to the Motor Vehicle Management Act (Act No. 17553, promulgated on October 20, 2020, to be enforced on April 21, 2021) which requires the free repair plan to be notified by text message using a mobile phone in addition to mail notification in the subordinate statutes.

B. Improve the forms, such as an application for an automobile safety inspection (attached Forms 22 and 24)

1) Improve the required documents in the “Application Form for Automobile Safety Inspection” (attached Form 22) and the processing period in the “Notification for Specification Management” (attached Form 24).

C. Reinforce the standards for inspection of flat springs (Article 80 (2), attached Table 15)

1) The Amendment aims to improve vehicle inspection standards and methods to ensure that flat springs, which have only been recommended for corrective action, to be determined as non-conforming in the case of severe deformation due to corrosion or breakage so as to prevent any dislocation and fall of flat springs used as a shock absorber in trucks.

D. Introduce lift inspections (attached Table 18)

1) The current standards of automobile inspection facilities only allow pits to be installed, but there is a risk of vision obstruction or safety-related accidents when inspecting the lower part of a vehicle using a pit, and thus the Amendment aims to make an improvement by allowing the selective installment of either pit or lift so as to ensure accurate inspection of the lower part.

E. Where the license plate or seal of a lost or stolen two-wheeled vehicle has fallen, allow the user to issue and attach the plate or seal anywhere in the country (Article 100)

1) Delete the provision requiring the user to attach a new number plate in the local government having jurisdiction over the user or the local government where the user originally attached or sealed the number plate so as to allow the user to attach a new number plate anywhere in the country.

F. Add a new field to describe the inspection expiration date for two-wheeled vehicles in the certificate of reporting the use of two-wheeled vehicles (attached Form 64)

1) Add a new field to describe the inspection expiration date and add description on the two-wheeled vehicles subject to periodic inspection for emissions and the application period. 

G. Revise the accredited electronic signature and accredited certificate to electronic signature and certificate (Article 153-2)

1) Due to the amendment to the Digital Signature Act (amended on June 9, 2020, to be enforced on June 10, 2021), modify the accredited electronic signature to electronic signature and accredited certificate to certificate so as to make an improvement by also allowing other electronic signatures or certificates.