S. Korea seeks to tighten regulations after BTS Suga’s e-scooter drunk driving incident

Lawmakers have proposed bills to prevent people from driving under the influence or without licenses on electric scooters and kickboards after BTS member Suga's drunk-driving incident ignited safety concerns, officials said Thursday. Suga, who is currently serving his mandatory military service as a social agent, was booked for investigation after he fell off his electric scooter under the influence of alcohol in Seoul's central district of Yongsan earlier this month. Rep. Lim Ho-seon of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) recently proposed a revision to the Road Traffic Act that would impose the same penalty for drunk-driving personal mobility (PM) devices as that applied to cars, according to the National Assembly. The speed limit will be lowered from the current 25 kilometers per hour to 20 kph to enhance safety. Under the current law, electric scooters with a maximum speed of less than 25 kph and a total weight of less than 30 kilograms are classified as PMs. Drunk riders of PM devices are cur rently subject to a fine of up to 200,000 won, or penal detention. If the bill is passed, the penalty for driving a car under the influence -- ranging from up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 5 million won to 2-5 years in prison or a fine of 10-20 million won, depending on the alcohol concentration level -- will also be applied to drunk PM riders. DP Rep. Yi Byeong-jin proposed another bill that requires PM rental companies to check whether the drivers have the necessary qualifications before renting out the devices. Companies that fail to comply with this requirement will be subject to a fine of up to 5 million won. "Under the current law, at least a license for motorized bicycles is required in driving PMs such as electric kickboards but children without such licenses can drive them through shared platforms," he said. Source: Yonhap News Agency