Taxis and driving in Korea

I've been told there are no stop signs in Korea and I haven't seen any yet to disprove this statement. This same person told me it didn't make sense to Koreans to sit at a stop sign for 3 seconds. I suppose that same sentiment is why so many Korean drivers run red lights; there is a sense of urgency to get where they are going.

Often drivers stop at a red light before proceeding but running through a red light without stopping is not uncommon. Most major traffic signals have pedestrian crossings but unless drivers see someone crossing they won't stop even when the pedestrian crossing signal is on.

I've taken lots of taxis in Korea and feel fortunate to be alive to tell about it:) Meters start at 2800 Won (about $2.50) and with gas at about 1500 Won/liter, it's hard to imagine how taxi drivers make a living. It is not uncommon for taxis to exceed 100km/hour in urban settings as they race between traffic signals; my record to date is 160km/he on a 2 lane highway; it's difficult to ask them to slow down when one doesn't speak the language:)