Jun Hyun-moo's driving in Kazakhstan sparks legality controversy

As controversy erupts over entertainer Jun Hyun-moo's driving in Kazakhstan, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Kazakhstan has entered a new phase of the dispute by issuing a repeated safety notice for short-term travelers regarding local driving regulations. In particular, as the Embassy repeatedly emphasized that an International Driving Permit (IDP) alone is insufficient to drive in Kazakhstan, attention is focused on whether Jun's driving qualifications met legal standards as shown on broadcast.

On the 25th, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Kazakhstan posted a 'Notice of Precautions for Local Driving for Short-term Visitors (Travelers) to Kazakhstan' through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' safety travel notice. The Embassy clearly stated, "Even if you possess an International Driving Permit, you cannot drive without the original Republic of Korea driver's license and a notarized Russian translation."

This notice is drawing even more attention as it was released on the same day the production team of the MBC variety show 'I Live Alone' provided an explanation regarding Jun's driving in Kazakhstan.

The 'I Live Alone' production team explained on the same day that "Jun's trip to Kazakhstan was exactly as shown on the broadcast," stating that they rented a vehicle from a local rental company by submitting an International Driving Permit and a passport. They added, "We confirmed too late that a separate notarization process was required."

The production team also conveyed their position that they heard from the Embassy that "many citizens suffer damages locally due to such issues," and they intend to re-announce the relevant details to ensure that citizens visiting the country in the future do not suffer similar damages.

The core issue lies in the fact that a rental company lending a vehicle is entirely separate from whether one possesses the legal driving qualifications under local laws. The essential documents for short-term travelers specified by the Embassy are the original Republic of Korea driver's license and a notarized Russian translation of said license. According to the Embassy's explanation, possessing only an International Driving Permit does not grant driving qualifications.

Previously, on the 20th, the Embassy also provided a 'Comprehensive Guide Regarding the Recognition of Korean Driver's Licenses in Kazakhstan,' noting that Kazakhstan does not recognize IDPs issued in Korea. This is due to a difference in international legal frameworks: while Korea issues IDPs in accordance with the Geneva Convention, Kazakhstan is a signatory to the Vienna Convention. Accordingly, the Embassy explained that even having an IDP separately notarized at an embassy or consulate does not grant driving qualifications.

The controversy stemmed from the fact that Jun's actual driving was revealed on the broadcast. In the episodes of 'I Live Alone' aired on the 14th and 21st, Jun revealed the process of his impromptu trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan. After deciding on a trip to Almaty on the spot at Incheon International Airport, the broadcast emphasized the free-spirited atmosphere of the trip by showing scenes of him renting and driving a vehicle locally.

However, following the Embassy's re-notice, viewers' interest shifted from the travel concept to whether he actually possessed the legal driving qualifications. The production team did not specify whether Jun possessed both the original Republic of Korea driver's license and the notarized Russian translation at the time of driving.

Furthermore, another controversy regarding the local filming in Kazakhstan has overlapped. On the 21st, the city of Almaty introduced through an official page on the Kazakhstan government website that the filming of 'I Live Alone' in Kazakhstan was organized with the support of the Almaty Tourism Bureau. Consequently, some have raised suspicions that there might be a discrepancy between the broadcast's 'impromptu trip' concept and the actual filming process.

In response, the production team refuted this, stating, "We have not received any filming support or sponsorship regarding this trip to Kazakhstan."

Ultimately, the core of this controversy is divided into two branches. One is the relationship between the portrayal of the impromptu trip emphasized on the broadcast and the actual filming process, and the other is whether Jun met the driving qualifications under Kazakhstan law, regardless of the fact that the local rental company lent him a vehicle.

In particular, the latter case is not something that can be viewed merely as a simple mistake by an individual traveler; it touches upon the practical issue that one must check the license recognition systems and local laws of each country in advance when driving abroad. As overseas travel information is conveyed to the public through celebrities, critics point out that more rigorous fact-checking is required during the production process, considering the possibility that viewers may accept this as reliable travel information.

With the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Kazakhstan re-issuing the regulations on the day of the controversy, attention is focused on whether the 'I Live Alone' production team and Jun will provide a specific explanation regarding which documents were held at the time of driving.