From language to data… Road Traffic Authority expands comprehensive cooperation on traffic safety in Mongolia

The Korea Road Traffic Authority (KoROAD) is recently expanding its traffic safety cooperation with Mongolia simultaneously across three areas—breaking down language barriers, the digital transformation of accident investigation, and the modernization of vehicle inspection systems. Building on the trust established through the receipt of a certificate of appreciation in 2025, clear trends are emerging toward expanding cooperation partners and fully launching field-applied services in 2026.

Achievements and Foundation for Cooperation in Transitioning Accident Investigations from Analog to Digital

The cooperation between KoROAD and Mongolia is evaluated as a case that led to a fundamental transformation of local investigation systems, going beyond mere equipment support. KoROAD signed memoranda of understanding with local agencies such as Mongolia’s National Forensic Investigation Agency and the Mongolian Police Agency, providing police officers under the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs with free support for digital traffic accident analysis methods and Korean-style traffic accident analysis programs.

This technology transfer and training have substantially contributed to the Mongolian Traffic Police Agency’s transition from its existing analog investigation methods to a digital system. Based on local assessments noting that the reliability of investigation results has improved and is utilized in accident reduction measures, KoROAD was awarded a certificate of appreciation from the Commissioner of the Mongolian Traffic Police Agency on October 21, 2025, in recognition of its contributions to strengthening the capabilities of Mongolian judicial and traffic safety institutions ¹. At that time, a visiting delegation of four government officials, including the Investigation Division Chief of the Mongolian Traffic Police Agency, directly visited KoROAD’s Seoul Headquarters to present the certificate of appreciation. Investigation Division Chief Khishigbayar expressed deep gratitude for the training on Korean investigation and analysis techniques ¹.

Expanded Accident Investigation Digital Transformation Agreement to Include the National Forensic Investigation Agency

On April 20, 2026, the cooperation partners expanded to include the National Forensic Investigation Agency. In Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, KoROAD signed a “Cooperation Agreement on Digital Transformation of Traffic Accident Investigations in Mongolia” with the National Forensic Investigation Agency, broadening the scope of cooperation ², ³. Key officials from both institutions, including KoROAD’s Innovation Planning Division Head Roh Myung-jin and Director General Ganbayar of the Mongolian National Forensic Investigation Agency, attended the signing ceremony to agree on building a scientific and systematic environment for traffic accident analysis ², ³.

The specific implementation plan for this agreement is as follows: KoROAD will provide Korean-style traffic accident analysis programs for free and conduct training to strengthen digital-based accident investigation capabilities. It also aims to introduce an investigation system featuring objectivity and accuracy locally ², ³.

One characteristic of the agreement is the linkage of Official Development Assistance (ODA) with the domestic startup ecosystem. In collaboration with the nationwide Creative Economy Innovation Centers, KoROAD is promoting overseas demonstration projects in the field of traffic accident investigations. Through this, it supports translating domestic startups’ technologies and services into practical export opportunities by applying them locally in Mongolia ², ³. Director General Ganbayar pledged to protect the lives and property of citizens through the adoption of Korean techniques, while Division Head Roh Myung-jin stated that they would simultaneously support Mongolia’s traffic accident prevention and the expansion of domestic startups ², ³.

Field Application of Vehicle Inspection Modernization and Information System Construction

Alongside accident investigations, cooperation in inspection systems that verify the safety of the vehicles themselves is also yielding visible results. KoROAD is participating together with the Korea Transport Institute and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority in the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) ODA project, “Project to Strengthen Traffic Safety through Enhancing Mongolia’s Vehicle Inspection Capabilities and Improving Facilities” (2023–2027, total of $13 million) ⁴, ⁵.

This project focuses on transplanting Korea’s inspection technology and experience into Mongolia, an environment with high dependency on imported used cars and a lack of systematic vehicle management systems ⁵. In fact, on March 17, 2026, the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS) announced that it had completed the installation of vehicle inspection equipment in Ulaanbaatar, together with local cooperation partners—the Mongolian Ministry of Road and Transport and the National Road Traffic Center—as well as the construction of an information system for integrated management of vehicle registration and inspections ⁴.

Field application has entered the actual operation stage. Cooperating with domestic inspection equipment manufacturers Auto Giki and Korea Commercial Truck, equipment suitable for the local environment was introduced. Following the completion of the second functional inspection of mobile test equipment on March 13, 2026, formal vehicle inspection services for visiting vehicles were launched at local inspection stations in Ulaanbaatar ⁴.

Elimination of Language Barriers in Driver’s License Written Exams for the Mutual Convenience of Korean and Mongolian Citizens

Parallel to improvements in institutional infrastructure, service cooperation to resolve practical inconveniences for resident nationals has also been implemented. KoROAD officially launched mutual language support services for driver’s license written exams for nationals residing in both countries starting October 29, 2026 ⁶.

The implementation is designed symmetrically so that Mongolian nationals residing in Korea can take the exam in Mongolian, while Korean nationals residing in Mongolia can take the exam in Korean ⁶. Through this, KoROAD expects to reduce linguistic inconveniences in the license acquisition process and enhance understanding of local traffic laws through native-language-based exams ⁶. This measure aims to improve access to administrative services for foreign residents and nationals residing overseas as part of the Korea-Mongolia cooperation projects ⁶.

Support for Overseas Expansion through Public-Private Linkage and Future Cooperation Network Outlook

These individual projects align with KoROAD’s public-private cooperation model. Currently, KoROAD is participating in traffic safety ODA projects and government fiscal projects targeting countries such as Mongolia and Colombia. It operates the “Traffic Safety Field Overseas Expansion Support Center” to support private companies’ market development and meetings with foreign government agencies ², ³.

In the future, KoROAD plans to collaborate closely with the National Forensic Investigation Agency under Mongolia’s Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs to further support the transition to digital investigation and analysis systems ¹. The process—where technology transfers that led to the 2023 certificate of appreciation evolved into agreements in 2024 (referred to as 2025 in the original text), and subsequently expanded to language services and field inspections in 2026—demonstrates the comprehensive penetration of the know-how accumulated by KoROAD into the daily lives of the general public via local administrative and judicial systems.