**Seoul City to Strongly Address Illegal Speed Limit Removal for Personal Mobility Devices**
Seoul City has announced its decision to take strong measures against electric scooters and e-bikes that have illegally removed speed limits, posing a threat to pedestrian safety.
On the 6th, Seoul City announced that, in collaboration with relevant departments, they have prepared response plans to block videos demonstrating illegal speed limit removals on personal mobility devices and to prevent the distribution of uncertified overseas-imported electric scooters and e-bikes.
Recently, a dangerous demonstration video featuring an electric scooter capable of speeds up to 200 km/h, uploaded by a domestic company, sparked controversy on online communities. Methods for illegally modifying speed limits on electric scooters and e-bikes, involving modifications to brakes and engines, have been openly shared on social networking services (SNS) and portal sites.
Currently, the legal maximum speed for e-bikes is 25 km/h. Modifying this can result in up to six months in jail or a fine of up to 5 million won. If an electric scooter is modified to exceed 25 km/h without registering as a motorcycle, it is subject to a 500,000 won fine.
Seoul City has requested the Korea Communications Standards Commission and Google Korea to block and delete access to YouTube videos (9 in total) that guide the removal of speed limits for electric scooters and e-bikes, successfully obtaining a blocking review result. The city plans to continue monitoring such illegal content and immediately request access blocking and deletion upon discovery.
Moreover, considering that most uncertified electric scooters and e-bikes imported into Korea are products from overseas direct purchases, Seoul City requested from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s Korean Agency for Technology and Standards in August to designate these products as items to be blocked from overseas direct purchase to ensure only devices complying with safety standards are distributed.
Additionally, the city will conduct crackdowns and guidance on violations such as exceeding speed limits on electric scooters, lack of helmet usage, unlicensed driving, and overloading passengers, along with promoting continuous safety education.
Up until last month, 30 crackdowns and guidance sessions were conducted in 15 districts of Seoul, resulting in the police imposing 19 fines for illegal driving. Safety education has been provided to 58,000 people, and direct visits to high schools are planned to expand on safety education for preventing accidents among youth, including case-based education on the risks of non-compliance with safety regulations.
Yoon Jong-jang, director of the Seoul City Transportation Office, stated, “We will create a safe environment that protects not only personal mobility device users but also pedestrians and vehicle drivers,” and urged, “please be sure to comply with maximum speed limits and safety rules, including wearing a helmet, when using e-bikes and electric scooters.”