Assemblyman Yongbin Lee Hosts Online National Assembly Debate on 'Bicycle Policy'

Discussion on Activation Measures Including Expansion of Bicycle Infrastructure

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Rep. Lee Yong-bin (Democratic Party of Korea, Gwangju Gwangsan Gap) announced on the 22nd that he held an "Online National Assembly Forum for a Major Shift in Bicycle Policy in the Green New Deal and the COVID-19 Era" in commemoration of World Car-Free Day.

The forum was held online considering the social distancing measures.

Kim Kwang-hoon, Secretary General of Gwangju Ecobike, Dr. Jung Kyung-ok of the Korea Transport Institute, and Na Hyung-seon, Bicycle Team Leader of Seoul City, presented, with participation from officials of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the National Police Agency, the Korea Tourism Organization, and civil society.

Additionally, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Regional Problem-Solving Platform and the National Ecological Transportation Network also participated, adding prestige to the event.

At the forum, it was suggested that bicycle policies should be approached broadly?from transportation modes to bicycle tourism, bicycle industry, and job measures?considering the climate crisis and changes in lifestyle and tourism methods after COVID-19.

Furthermore, attendees discussed tasks such as significantly expanding basic infrastructure like dedicated bicycle lanes to promote bicycle use, mandating bicycle safety education, and developing bicycle tourism policies in response to the increase in bicycle travelers.

Currently, various governments and cities, including Paris, France, are actively implementing bicycle promotion policies, and globally, bicycle sales have increased by 15% since COVID-19.

Kim Kwang-hoon, Secretary General of Ecobike, stated, "To overcome the climate crisis, the Green New Deal direction in the transportation sector should focus on bicycles and electric bicycles, which do not occupy much road space individually," adding, "From an industrial perspective, research for developing bicycle materials and parts will be revitalized, and the bicycle goods market will also grow as a niche industry."

Rep. Lee Yong-bin said, "Looking at the government's bicycle policies so far, there has been negligence in all aspects such as budget and manpower," and added, "While devising various benefits such as bicycle registration and bicycle insurance and solutions to problems like bicycle abandonment and theft, we will comprehensively reorganize existing infrastructure and establish institutional grounds so that it can be reflected in facility plans to promote bicycle activation policies."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.