How Cheongju City Plans to Tackle Motorcycle Noise: A Comprehensive Guide to Traffic Management in 2026

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[iNews24 reporter Ahn Young-rok] Cheongju City in North Chungcheong Province will step up efforts to reduce vehicle noise, with a particular focus on motorcycles.

Cheongju announced on the 29th that it has finalized a traffic noise and vibration management plan to address residents’ complaints and will intensify joint inspections with the police and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority.

The city plans regular joint inspections targeting neighborhoods with frequent noise complaints and heavy traffic, aiming to inspect 1,000 vehicles this year.

Inspectors will concentrate enforcement on riders who remove mufflers or noise covers, install extra horns, or exceed legal exhaust-noise limits, and will impose fines and other penalties.

From June through September—identified as a high-risk period for motorcycle noise—the city will carry out targeted enforcement at least once a week, including late-night operations.

The city will also provide training to improve inspection accuracy and response capabilities. On the 31st, it will train city and district officials at the Cheongju International Eco Complex on inspection methods and noise-measurement procedures.

The city will designate 3 road segments totaling 15.2 km as management zones and implement noise-reduction measures such as speed limits and bans on horn use.

Lee Jeong-hwa, head of Cheongju’s Air Quality Team, said, “We continue to receive complaints about motorcycle noise in residential areas late at night. We ask riders to cooperate by observing everyday traffic etiquette—avoid speeding, sudden acceleration, and hard braking.”