Fines of 100,000 KRW for Unlicensed Electric Scooter Driving

Fines Imposed on Guardians if Children Drive
20,000 KRW for No Helmet, 40,000 KRW for Overcapacity
Increased Penalties for Drunk Driving and Refusal of Breath Test

On the 10th, an electric scooter lies fallen on the quiet streets of Hongdae, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] From now on, if caught riding an electric kickboard without a license, a fine of 100,000 KRW will be imposed. Since the minimum age to obtain a motorized vehicle license is 16 years old, the use of electric kickboards by children and middle school students is effectively prohibited. If a child drives, a fine of 100,000 KRW will be imposed on the guardian.

On the 29th, the National Police Agency announced the draft amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Road Traffic Act, which includes these provisions, and plans to implement it starting in May.

According to the amendment, a fine of 100,000 KRW will be imposed for unlicensed driving, as well as for driving while fatigued or under the influence of drugs. For drunk driving, the fine will increase from the previous 30,000 KRW to 100,000 KRW, and refusal to take a breathalyzer test will be strengthened from 100,000 KRW to 130,000 KRW. A fine of 20,000 KRW will be imposed for not wearing a helmet, 10,000 KRW for failure to operate lights at night, and 40,000 KRW for exceeding the passenger limit.

In particular, a new provision has been added to impose a fine of 100,000 KRW on guardians who allow children under 13 years old to operate personal mobility devices (PM) such as electric kickboards. If a passenger does not wear a helmet, an additional fine of 20,000 KRW may be imposed.

A National Police Agency official stated, "Fines and penalties will be imposed in accordance with the enforcement date of the amended decree without any grace period," and added, "We will strive to ensure safe use of PMs through sufficient prior publicity about the amended law."

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