Recently, a middle school student in Gyeongnam's Gimhae died while riding an electric scooter, leading to an increase in related accidents, which has put the personal mobility (PM) industry under intense criticism. The voice advocating for the establishment of a dedicated license is growing, as the cause of accidents is attributed to the reckless use by 'unlicensed minors.' However, discussions on institutionalization have stalled due to political variables and conflicting interests.
◇ A license certification that is merely formal, effectively allowing 'unlicensed' operation
According to the industry on the 3rd, the current Road Traffic Act requires a Type 2 motorized bicycle license or a driver’s license to operate an electric scooter. However, the actual certification process is almost non-existent.
Most PM platforms are designed so that users can rent by simply entering license information within the app, and instances of teenagers borrowing their parents' or acquaintances’ license information to register and use it without permission are frequent. An industry insider noted, “Simply entering a parent’s license number in the app allows immediate use,” and pointed out, “While the law requires a license, there are no mechanisms in place to verify or block it.”
The Korean National Police Agency has been reviewing the introduction of a dedicated license to address these issues. According to the industry, the police have discussed creating a licensing system, which includes an online written exam, and have conducted public hearings and surveys to gather public opinion.
However, discussions have yet to resolve whether to include driving and functional tests at the level of motorcycles in the dedicated license, and recent political turmoil and the suspension of the Korean National Police Agency chief have halted related negotiations.
Park Pan-yeol, vice president of the Korea PM Industry Association, stated, “Electric scooters have a riding style closer to bicycles than motorcycles, so applying motorcycle license standards is unrealistic,” adding, “There is a consensus in the industry to introduce a separate dedicated license but to operate it based on online education rather than a functional test.”
He further explained, “The operation is simpler than that of an actual bicycle, so a functional test would be ineffective. If users need to go to a testing center, the acquisition rate will be low,” suggesting that classifying them into lightweight and medium-weight PM based on speed standards and differentiating whether a license applies could be a realistic alternative.
◇ No parking lots and only towing... Industry says 'shifting responsibility to the private sector'
Amid stagnant discussions on the institutionalization of a dedicated license, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is strengthening PM regulations while promoting the expansion of public bicycle services such as Dda-reungi. The city maintains a tough stance against illegal parking of electric scooters.
Electric scooters left outside designated parking areas are subject to towing, and companies must bear an expense of approximately 40,000 won per scooter to retrieve them. There are also claims in the industry that the amount of scooters being towed has surpassed that of vehicles.
However, there are criticisms that parking infrastructure is severely lacking. While there are 2,760 public bicycle parking locations managed by the city, there are only 280 designated electric scooter parking locations. The number of electric scooters in Seoul is estimated to be about 40,000. An insider from a PM company pointed out, “While sufficient public parking infrastructure has not been secured, regulations and expenses are imposed only on private services.”
There are also analyses suggesting that the fundamental cause of accidents lies more in congestion than in speed. According to a joint study by the Korea PM Industry Association and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, the areas where accidents occur most frequently tend to have lower average speeds and higher pedestrian and vehicle traffic. It is emphasized that precise safety management and user education focused on congested areas are urgent, rather than simply imposing speed limits.
A PM corporation representative remarked, “If the situation remains as it is, accidents will not decrease, and only the industry will suffer,” urging that “the government and local governments must at least establish a minimal institutional foundation.”