Marine Officer License Revocation or Suspension of Duties for Drunk Navigation: How to Challenge It and the Deadlines

Procedure

1. 1. Check the prior notice of disposition

   If a prior notice arrives before the license disposition, first check the deadline for submitting a written opinion. Because the disposition standards are set by statute, prepare the written opinion around the facts, such as the testing procedure and the measured figure.

2. 2. Organize the circumstances and the testing process

   Set out in time order the time of drinking, the times of boarding and navigation, and the time and method of the test. Also check whether there was any problem in the testing procedure.

3. 3. Materials on livelihood impact and prevention of recurrence

   Show that the license is the means of livelihood through the seagoing service record, income materials and the situation of supporting family members. Also submit proof of completing alcohol moderation education or a recurrence prevention plan. However, Article 9(3) of the Ship Officers Act requires the set disposition once the blood alcohol standard is met, so these materials serve as reference rather than grounds for reducing the disposition.

4. 4. File an administrative appeal

   After the disposition is issued, file an administrative appeal within 90 days from the date you became aware of the disposition and within 180 days from the date of the disposition. If necessary, also consider applying for a stay of execution.

Required documents

• Opinion submission form (Enforcement Rule of the Administrative Procedures Act, Annexed Form No. 11) or administrative appeal petition (Enforcement Rule of the Administrative Appeals Act, Annexed Form No. 30)
• Prior notice of disposition or written disposition
• Copy of the marine officer license
• Proof of seagoing service
• Proof of income (earned income, seafarer wage records, etc.)
• Family relation documents (when explaining dependents)
• Recurrence prevention plan; education completion records
• Statement of circumstances (organized in time order)

Fees

There is no official fee for filing an administrative appeal. Agency fees in the industry range from several hundred thousand won to the 1,000,000 won range and vary depending on whether we are engaged from the written opinion stage and whether the written administrative appeal and the application for a stay of execution are drafted together. We will inform you after consultation, based on the content of the disposition.

See fees and official charges for this service →

Legal basis and review date

• Maritime Traffic Safety Act, Article 39
• Maritime Traffic Safety Act, Article 42
• Maritime Traffic Safety Act, Article 113
• Ship Personnel Act, Article 9
• Administrative Appeals Act, Article 27
• Road Traffic Act, Article 44

Checked against the statutes on 2026-10-05

Statutes and public notices change, so each case needs to be checked individually. Statute titles are given in English for reference. The Korean statutes are the authoritative text.

Check these first

• The 90-day administrative appeal period is counted from the date the written disposition is received, so do not miss it while waiting for the outcome of the criminal trial.

Frequently asked questions