[Delivery Regret] "Retaliation for Reporting? Not Afraid... Illegal Two-Wheeler Reporting App Needs Improvement"

Reported motorcycles riding on bike lanes...
Police: "Enforcement not possible without no-entry signs"
Calls to improve camera performance in reporting apps increase
"Citizen reports protect society and children's future"

Cases of damaged delivery motorcycle license plates. According to Article 81 of the Motor Vehicle Management Act, anyone who intentionally covers or makes the license plate difficult to recognize shall be punished by imprisonment for up to one year or a fine of up to 10 million won.
[Photo by Sejong City]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] "The resolution of the camera tool in the reporting application (app) is too low to accurately capture motorcycle license plates." "Each local police station has different enforcement standards, making it difficult to file reports."

Sejong City has been operating a public traffic safety reporting team to eradicate illegal acts by delivery motorcycles for the past 1 year and 2 months. A total of 104 members are currently active through additional recruitment this year. They are evenly distributed across regions, each playing the role of 'our neighborhood traffic safety guardian.' However, capturing illegal acts of delivery motorcycles that move quickly with just a smartphone is not an easy task. The most frequent request was to improve the Police Agency’s Smart National Reporting app so that people can easily report in daily life.

◆ Getting reports recognized is 'like catching stars in the sky'... "App performance needs improvement" = Jeon Ho-seong, who serves as the chairman of the reporting team, said, "The camera resolution within the app is too low to accurately identify motorcycle license plates," adding, "The most common reason for reports being rejected is difficulty in identifying license plates." In fact, when running the Smart National Reporting app to report illegal driving and activating the camera, it was only possible to identify the license plate by zooming in to the maximum on the screen. Jeon said, "When capturing a motorcycle that violated a traffic signal, the color of the traffic light must also be included in the same frame, so getting the violation recognized is like catching stars in the sky," and added, "Since the only reporting channel is the Smart National Reporting app, its performance should be improved, or videos and photos taken with a general camera app should also be accepted."

Confusion also arises because each responsible police station has different standards for handling cases. On the 2nd, when Jeon reported a delivery motorcycle riding on a bicycle-only road in Areum-dong, Sejong City, he received a reply the next day from the Sejong Police Station, the jurisdictional office, stating, "It has been confirmed that the reported two-wheeled vehicle was riding on a bicycle road, not a sidewalk," but also, "If there is no sign restricting or prohibiting two-wheeled vehicles from using the bicycle road, enforcement is inevitably not possible." Sejong Police Station often rejects reports, saying that enforcement is impossible if there is no sign restricting or prohibiting two-wheeled vehicles from using the bicycle road.

Jeon explained that police stations in other regions such as Daejeon issue penalties for violations regardless of the presence of prohibition signs. He pointed out, "Sejong City aims to be a city for pedestrians and bicycles," and added, "(The police) are effectively overlooking motorcycles racing on bicycle roads." Riding motorcycles on sidewalks is not only the most frequent complaint in Sejong City but also an act that threatens pedestrian safety.

On the 2nd, after reporting a delivery motorcycle riding on a bicycle-only road in Areum-dong, Sejong City, the Sejong Police Station responded, "It has been confirmed that the reported two-wheeler is riding on the bicycle road, not the sidewalk, but if there are no signs restricting or prohibiting two-wheelers from using the bicycle road, enforcement is inevitably not possible."

◆ "Afraid of retaliation? Reporting activities must not be discouraged" = Regarding his decision to reveal his real name in Asia Economy’s 'Delivery Regrets' series, Jeon said, "I reported illegal acts from the perspective of a citizen," and added, "There is no reason to be afraid of being harmed." He acknowledged, "Some members of the reporting team have expressed that they feel intimidated and scared, making it difficult to continue activities," and said, "The safety of whistleblowers making public interest reports must be guaranteed, and the legitimate activities of citizens should not be discouraged by some threats."

Jeon said that during his military service, he witnessed various incidents and accidents while providing 119 emergency patient rescue. He said, "I am well aware of the fear of traffic accidents. Knowing the pain of the family watching over the victim more than the driver’s own pain motivated me to work harder in the public reporting team." "Younger riders tend not to wear helmets, so I asked them directly why they don’t wear helmets. One rider told me, 'If an accident happens, I will suffer serious injuries and become disabled anyway, so it’s better to die than to be a burden to my family,' which broke my heart."

Jeon also reflected on the saying, "Adults are mirrors for children," through his reporting team activities. "One day, I saw children riding bicycles racing just like reckless delivery motorcycles. They didn’t stop even when seeing people. I couldn’t shake the thought that society is heading in the wrong direction. Reporting illegal acts by motorcycles is not only about protecting my family but also about safeguarding society’s safety and the future of children."