Sejong City announced on the 28th that it plans to strengthen the management of shared personal mobility devices (PM) within the region by lowering the maximum speed of shared PMs and designating no-parking zones in areas with high accident risks.
PMs are personal mobility devices that have seen a recent increase in users. However, indiscriminate use can lead to safety accidents, and unauthorized parking disrupts urban order, revealing gaps in management.
Currently, there are no laws regulating the use of PMs, and local governments lack the legal authority to regulate and manage them, which adds to the difficulties in PM management.
To address these issues, Sejong City plans to operate a public-private consultative body including the city council, city education office, police agency, and PM rental companies, and from next month, it will establish and implement the "Sejong City Shared PM Operation Guidelines."
The guidelines mainly cover accident prevention, strengthened parking management, resolution of citizen inconveniences, and the spread of a proper usage culture.
According to the guidelines, the maximum speed of PMs in Sejong will be reduced from 25 km/h to 20 km/h, and areas with high accident risks such as the main gates of elementary, middle, and high schools will be designated as no-parking zones for PMs.
Shared PMs left unattended in no-parking zones can be reported by any citizen through an open chat room established by Sejong City, and rental companies will verify and relocate the devices in real time.
The police agency will operate a dedicated bicycle patrol team (7 members) to frequently crack down on illegal operations near schools, such as riding with two or more passengers and driving without a license.
Choi Min-ho, Mayor of Sejong City, said, "It is meaningful that we have reached a public-private agreement and established voluntary guidelines despite the absence of related laws," adding, "We will use this as an opportunity for Sejong City to lead the proper shared PM usage culture and strive to have this regional model spread nationwide."
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