"Earn Rental Income by Lending My Car"...Idle Vehicle Sharing Platform 'Sandbox' Approved

KCCI-Ministry of Science and ICT to Hold 'Sandbox Deliberation Committee' on 7th
First Presentation of 'Car-based Airbnb' Previously Blocked by Regulations
'Transportation Service for the Mobility Impaired' Now Open to Private Sector

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] A business model that allows neighbors in an apartment complex to rent out their privately owned vehicles and earn income, so-called 'car version of Airbnb,' has become possible. The 'hospital accompaniment service for transportation-disadvantaged individuals,' which was previously only available to the government or local authorities, can now be provided by private entities as well.

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sandbox Support Center and the Ministry of Science and ICT held the 'ICT Sandbox Deliberation Committee' on the 7th at the Chamber of Commerce building in Jung-gu, Seoul, and approved a total of seven cases including ▲a platform for renting idle vehicles between neighbors ▲customized hospital accompaniment services for mobility-impaired individuals (2 cases) ▲a family-type arcade game service with point rewards within entertainment centers (4 cases).

On this day, Townz Co., Ltd. received approval for a demonstration exemption for its platform that mediates rental of idle vehicles between neighbors. This service allows individuals to register their privately owned vehicles that are not in use within the same apartment complex (including officetels) on the platform and rent them out short-term to other residents.

Under the current Passenger Transport Service Act, the minimum registration requirement for car rental businesses is set at 50 vehicles or more, making small-scale (1-2 vehicles) rental businesses impossible.

Townz plans to start a demonstration test with about 500 vehicles in Hanam-si, Gyeonggi Province, and will expand the service area and the number of supply vehicles based on the demonstration results.

In fact, personal vehicle sharing services such as Turo (USA) and CarNextDoor (Australia) are already widely spreading overseas. Companies like SK and Hyundai Motor have also invested in these firms. Townz is also about to sign investment contracts worth tens of billions of won with major VC investors immediately after the sandbox approval.

Private Hospital Accompaniment Service for Transportation-Disadvantaged Individuals such as Seniors over 65 and Disabled People Launched

Netz Mobility and Healbing Care’s application for a 'customized hospital accompaniment service for mobility-impaired individuals' was also approved. This mobility service is designed for seniors aged 65 or older, disabled persons, and fracture patients who have difficulty moving and going to hospitals. Specially modified vehicles allow wheelchair users to board, and an accompaniment manager provides a one-stop service from hospital arrival, reception, moving to the examination room, and returning home.

Under the current Passenger Transport Service Act, paid transportation of transportation-disadvantaged individuals using private vehicles is only permitted for the government and local authorities, and private companies are prohibited.

The deliberation committee stated, "It is expected to improve transportation convenience for seniors, disabled persons, and other mobility-impaired individuals, and it is necessary to verify through demonstration whether private entities can efficiently provide mobility services for the disabled, which are currently only provided by the government and local authorities," and granted the demonstration exemption.

Netz Mobility and Healbing Care plan to conduct pilot operations in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon areas first, and based on the demonstration results, will consult with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to expand the number of vehicles in operation.

Point Reward Arcade Games: Catching Dolls by 'Skill' Not 'Luck'

The Korean-style family game center prize exchange game service (by Jjang Co., Ltd., Youngbae Co., Ltd., Pets One Co., Ltd., A&A Entertainment, and three other companies) also passed the sandbox.

The prize exchange service awards points based on gameplay results on arcade-type game machines (mechanical devices where coins, bills, or tokens can be inserted to play games) located in arcades or complex cultural facilities, and these points can be exchanged for prizes such as dolls or household goods. The redemption game method is a family-friendly entertainment culture established in countries like the USA and Canada, but it is prohibited under Korea’s Game Industry Promotion Act because prizes are provided.

According to the Korea Game White Paper, the share of Korean games in the global market is relatively high for PC games at 12.5% and mobile games at 9.1%, but arcade games account for only 0.7%, which is very low. The four companies including Jjang Arcade plan to start demonstration tests with up to 50 machines per company in shopping malls, sports facilities, food courts, and other locations.

Meanwhile, companies that cannot commercialize their businesses due to the absence of laws or systems (loopholes) or outdated laws and systems can receive consulting through the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sandbox (Sandbox.korcham.net). The service is free of charge.

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