Lawmakers Call for Effective Measures Against Highway Toll Evasion

It has been revealed that a habitual toll evader has failed to pay highway tolls more than 3,000 times, accumulating over 15 million won in unpaid fees. Lawmakers are calling for more effective collection measures, such as license plate seizures, as relying solely on vehicle seizures and auctions has proven insufficient.

During a National Assembly audit of the Korea Expressway Corporation on October 8, Kim Jeong-jae, a member of the ruling People Power Party, pointed out that unpaid tolls reached 99.4 billion won in 2025, nearing 100 billion won. He noted that while the collection rate is about 91%, a significant amount of unpaid tolls still exists.

According to data presented by Kim, there are cases of high-value habitual evaders who have failed to pay tolls over 3,000 times, with debts exceeding 15 million won. The list of top offenders also includes individuals with over 2,000 and 1,000 unpaid tolls.

Kim criticized the situation, stating, "This is not just 30 or 300 times, but 3,000 times of non-payment. This clearly indicates habitual evasion of tolls." He also raised concerns about the effectiveness of current collection methods, arguing that even if vehicles are seized, it does not prevent habitual offenders from using the roads.

The collection rate from vehicle seizures has only reached about 23% of the unpaid tolls, while the recovery rate from auctions stands at a mere 6.8%. This low recovery rate is attributed to the presence of senior claims that take precedence over toll debts when auction proceeds are distributed.

Kim urged the swift implementation of a license plate seizure system for habitual offenders, stating, "Relying solely on vehicle seizures does not effectively prevent operation, and auctions are complicated by senior claims, making toll recovery difficult. The planned license plate seizures must be implemented without delay."

Yoo Jeong-hoon, president of the Korea Expressway Corporation, responded affirmatively to Kim's suggestions.

* This article has been translated by AI.