Ulsan City has launched full-scale special measures to ease vehicle registration complaints at the start of 2026. Anticipating the annual surge in registration-related requests during the New Year period, the city announced that it has prepared a comprehensive response plan and will begin intensive operations starting January 2. The measures aim to minimize inconvenience for citizens and improve satisfaction with public administrative services, reflecting the recurring concentration of vehicle registration demand at the beginning of each year.
According to the Ulsan Vehicle Registration Office, the number of vehicle registration complaints typically increases to nearly twice the usual level at the start of the year. This surge is largely driven by the widespread perception that registering a vehicle after the New Year, regardless of its model year, is advantageous when selling the vehicle later on the used-car market. As a result, long waiting times and parking shortages have repeatedly caused inconvenience for citizens. To address these structural issues, Ulsan City has established a comprehensive plan that includes enhanced staffing, procedural improvements, and parking management measures.
 [코리안투데이] Exterior view of Ulsan City Hall in Ulsan, South Korea © 정소영 기자 |
The core element of the 2026 early-year vehicle registration complaint relief plan is the expansion of response hours. From January 2 to January 5, the Ulsan Vehicle Registration Office will designate this period as a special intensive service phase. During this time, all employees will report to work 30 minutes earlier than usual, starting at 8:30 a.m. instead of 9:00 a.m., to strengthen complaint handling capacity. Staff members will refrain from taking leave, outside duties, or early departures, while lunch breaks will be shortened from 60 minutes to 40 minutes to minimize service interruptions.
Institutional improvements will also be implemented to enhance processing efficiency. The vehicle license plate selection system will be changed from an individual-choice method to a random assignment system. This adjustment is expected to reduce the time required for license plate selection and speed up overall complaint processing. In addition, in cooperation with NongHyup Bank and Gyeongnam Bank, operating hours for public bond purchases, revenue stamps, and local tax payments will be adjusted to begin at 8:30 a.m., ensuring smoother administrative flow during peak hours.
Measures to address parking congestion will be further strengthened. Parking guidance personnel will be stationed at all times around the Vehicle Registration Office to alleviate traffic congestion and guide visitors efficiently. Additionally, the city has secured cooperation to allow citizens to use the underground parking lot at Jinjang Diplex free of charge, improving accessibility for visitors and reducing inconvenience during the registration process.
Ulsan City stated that these measures are intended not only to respond to short-term spikes in complaints but also to deliver tangible improvements in administrative services that citizens can experience directly. An official from the Vehicle Registration Office said that the city will focus on reducing waiting times and resolving parking-related issues through a proactive and citizen-centered response system.
As of the end of September 2025, a total of 610,723 vehicles were registered in Ulsan. The Ulsan Vehicle Registration Office processes an average of 2,416 vehicle-related cases per day and collects approximately KRW 101.5 billion annually in revenue, including vehicle acquisition taxes. Taking into account the continued growth in administrative demand, the city plans to further improve its complaint handling systems and overall service quality in the future.
These special measures are being evaluated as a practical response aimed at reducing citizen inconvenience and strengthening trust in public administration at the start of the New Year. Ulsan City emphasized that it will continue to refine its early-year vehicle registration complaint relief policies to realize truly citizen-centered administrative services. More detailed information is available on the official Ulsan Metropolitan City website at https://www.ulsan.go.kr
[By Soyoung Jeong | Ulsan Gangbuk | ulsangangbuk@thekoreantoday.com ]
 |
<저작권자 ⓒ 코리안투데이(The Korean Today) 무단전재 및 재배포 금지>
