Seoul Intensifies Crackdown on Tailgating and Cutting In During Rush Hour

Seoul police conducted a traffic crackdown on April 7, 2026, targeting chronic lane-cutting and other traffic violations during the morning commute. During a one-hour operation near the Yangjae Interchange (IC), officers fined 17 vehicles, with three lane-cutting violators caught within a five-minute window.

The enforcement action focused on the expressway entrance near Yangjae IC, an area cited for frequent “sneaky” lane-cutting. According to reporting by Chosun Ilbo, some drivers stopped by police claimed they were in a rush to get to work as a justification for their actions.

National Strategy for Basic Traffic Order

These recent enforcement actions align with a broader initiative by the National Police Agency to improve compliance with basic order. On June 30, 2025, the agency announced a focused crackdown on five major types of rule-breaking driving to reduce congestion and improve safety for ordinary citizens.

The five targeted violations include:

• Illegal U-turns
• Violations of expressway bus-only lanes by vans with 12 seats or fewer
• Tailgating
• Cutting in line
• Violations of traffic laws by non-emergency ambulances

To increase the effectiveness of these crackdowns, the National Police Agency stated it would increase the number of undercover patrol cars on regular roads and the Gyeongbu Expressway. The agency also planned the development and installation of advanced unmanned enforcement equipment designed for 24-hour monitoring in areas where violations are frequent.

Rush-Hour Enforcement and “Tailgating”

Similar enforcement efforts have been carried out across other districts in Seoul. On November 4, 2025, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) launched a “swift traffic crackdown” as part of the citizen-centered Seoul Traffic Re-Design Project. This operation targeted areas including Gangnam, Jongno, and Seodaemun districts.

During that specific rush-hour operation, police detected 252 violations, consisting of 109 citations and 143 warnings. Of these, 132 were for illegal lane changes and 94 were for tailgating. In the context of these crackdowns, tailgating is defined as entering an intersection following the car ahead even after the traffic signal has turned red.

In Seodaemun District, officers from the SMPA Traffic Mobile Unit and the Seodaemun Police Station were stationed in front of the main gate of Yonsei University. Reports indicated that buses frequently blocked crosswalks due to vehicles stopping in the middle of the intersection as signals changed, preventing pedestrians from crossing.

Broadening the Scope of Public Order

The National Police Agency’s efforts extend beyond traffic management to general public and economic order. In the area of daily life, police are targeting issues such as unauthorized advertisement postings, illegal garbage dumping, and disturbances caused by drunken behavior.

Regarding economic order, the agency is conducting investigations and enforcement to prevent several specific issues affecting citizens, including:

• Ticket scalping
• Reservation no-shows
• Malicious reviews
• Dine-and-dash incidents
• Violence committed under the influence of alcohol

Lee Hoyoung, the Acting Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, stated that the agency will actively work to improve these practices of non-compliance to meet public expectations.