Unlicensed e-scooter riders will face a 100,000 won fine if caught:
Unlicensed drivers of electric scooters and other personal mobility devices will face a fine of 100,000 won (US$89) starting Thursday amid growing concerns about their safety, police said.
The National Police Agency said Tuesday that under the amended Road Traffic Act, which takes effect Thursday, riders will be required to have at least a motorcycle license, for which the minimum age is 16.
It looks like you can expect even more of the e-scooters zipping around Korean cities with the lowering of regulations that will put more of them on the streets and sidewalks:
Two people ride on an electric scooter in Gangnam District, Seoul, in this Nov. 3 photo.
Under the current law, e-scooters have been classified as a type of motorbike; so those having a motorbike or other vehicle license were allowed to use them, with the age limit being 16 and over.
But under revisions to this law, which will take effect Dec. 10, e-scooters will be classified as a type of bicycle, allowing people to ride them on cycling paths, and without the need for a driver’s license. The age limit will also be lowered to 13, meaning even middle school students will be allowed to ride them. However, riding the scooters on sidewalks will still be illegal.
It has been mandatory for e-scooter riders to wear a helmet, with violators of the law facing a 20,000 won ($18) fine, but most users do not abide by the regulation. Under the new law, there will be no penalty for not wearing a helmet or any other protective gear.
This is an interesting idea considering how popular electric scooters are becoming:
A model demonstrates the electric scooter to be mounted in Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors vehicles in the future. [HYUNDAI MOTOR]
Hyundai Motor Group on Tuesday unveiled an electric scooter that can be mounted inside a vehicle and charged with the electricity generated while driving.
The product is an upgrade to a concept model Hyundai Motor first introduced in 2017.
The group said it is considering including electric scooters as an upgrade option in newly launched cars from Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors from 2021 so drivers can conveniently continue to their destination after parking their car.
The scooter, according to Hyundai, will be charged automatically when mounted in a dedicated space in the vehicle through electricity generated from driving. When drivers reach parking lots, they can take out the scooter and continue on to their final destination.
