Democratic Party Rep. Kim Byung-wook Proposes 'Automobile Management Act Amendment'
Internet Disclosure of Parts Supply, Prices, and Labor Costs for a Certain Period
[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] A bill has been proposed to disclose parts prices for motorcycles (two-wheeled vehicles), similar to automobiles. This aims to prevent excessive repair charges due to the inability to know parts prices. The government is also promoting the same policy, drawing attention to the future outcome of the process.
According to the National Assembly on the 22nd, Kim Byung-wook, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, officially proposed the "Automobile Management Act Amendment" with this content as the main point the day before.
As of the end of June, the number of motorcycles registered nationwide reached 895,430. According to the General Insurance Association, the number of two-wheeled vehicle repairs last year was 116,749, an increase of 10.8% compared to the previous year (105,327). Repair costs also rose by 13.9%, reaching 175.462 billion won last year, up from 154.044 billion won the year before.
This is due to the increase in delivery drivers caused by the impact of COVID-19. Additionally, motorcycles are difficult to restore through repairs, so parts are often replaced even in minor accidents. Since parts and labor costs are unclear, there is a significant cost difference among repair shops.
In fact, according to Kim’s office, a comparison of 10 motorcycle repair shops for the 'Honda Forza 300,' widely used as a delivery motorcycle, showed up to a 17-fold price difference for side mirror repairs alone. A representative from Kim’s office explained, "If you buy a used motorcycle for 4 million won, the repair cost can also reach 4 million won."
If this bill passes, manufacturers (sellers) will be required to supply parts necessary for motorcycle maintenance for a certain period and disclose parts prices and labor costs on their websites.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is also promoting a similar system. However, since the current Automobile Management Act’s post-management provisions do not include references to two-wheeled vehicles, legislative action on related bills is essential for fundamental improvement.
Kim said, "As the delivery industry has grown significantly recently, motorcycle use has increased, and various related complaints have arisen. However, unlike automobiles, motorcycles are not systematically managed by related systems, causing greater consumer damage. It is necessary to establish systematic management plans for the entire two-wheeled vehicle system, including normalizing repair costs, registering motorcycle maintenance businesses, and national qualifications."
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