A woman finally passed her driving test at the 960th time of asking. Cha Sa-soon, 69 years-old at the time, was congratulated by instuctors and examiners alike as she secured her driving licence after a long wait. As a result of her uplifting story, South Korean Ms Cha has become a national celebrity in her country.
She first attempted the written part of her driving test in 2005. She failed, but continued to retake it five days a week for three years.
She didn’t pass, and even tried reducing the number of times she took the test until one day she eventually passed on her 950th attempt. Ms Cha then failed her practical tests several times, eventually passing on her 960th try.
Reports say she needed her driving license so she could run a vegetable selling business.
The driving tests both practical and written racked up a huge £11,000 in costs.
Park Su-yeon, a driving instructor at the Jeonbuk Driving School, said: “When she finally got her licence, we all went out cheering and hugged her, giving her flowers.
“It felt like a huge burden falling off our backs. We hadn’t had the guts to tell her to quit because she kept showing up.”
Ms Cha’s story has inspired many, making her a celebrity in South Korea.
She has since appeared in a national advert for the South Korean Hyundai car manufacturer.
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She was also given a new car by the company worth $16,800 (about £13,700). The story has now resurfaced on Reddit, sparking a lot of reaction among users.
One commenter said: “I wouldn’t want someone who has failed over ~5 times to be on the same road as me, not to mention 960.”
Another said: “I personally believe if you fail your driving test, or any part of your driving test, more than 10 times, you should never be allowed to drive.
“There has to be a point before 960 times where someone decides that driving just ain’t for you.”
A third added: “I still respect the dedication.”