Seongsu-dong, the "Bike Sanctuary"... Residents Suffer from Deafening Exhaust Noise

Authorities Neglect Motorcycle Crackdowns
Most Offenders Receive Only Light Punishment

"What is that noise?"

Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, the "Bike Sanctuary." Photo by Sunjin Byun

As Seongsu-dong in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, has emerged as a "Bike Sanctuary," nearby residents and business owners are voicing their distress.

At around 10 p.m. on June 13, four to five motorcycles?presumed to belong to a club?roared down the road near Seongsu Station, producing deafening noise. Citizens coming down from Exit 2 of Seongsu Station covered their ears to block out the motorcycle exhaust. Park, a 41-year-old resident living in a nearby villa, said, "I've been taking medication for anxiety disorder for years because of the constant motorcycle noise. If I can sell my house, I plan to move to another neighborhood." Choi, a 31-year-old resident near Ttukseom Station, said, "Every evening, the sound of motorcycles racing is so loud that it penetrates even when the windows are closed." Another resident added, "On weekends, when people from all over the country gather here, the exhaust noise is two to three times worse than usual." A local business owner said, "The loud motorcycle noise starts in earnest from 8 p.m., prompting customers to leave quickly. The damage is considerable."

According to the Seongdong-gu Office, the number of complaints about motorcycle noise has been increasing: 4 cases in 2022, 15 in 2023, and 27 in 2024. As of last month, there have been 10 complaints filed this year. An official from the Seongdong-gu Office said, "Most of these complaints are related to motorcycle noise occurring on roads and alleys near Ttukseom Station and Seongsu Station, which are adjacent to the Bike Sanctuary."

The influx of motorcycle enthusiasts into Seongsu-dong began after the COVID-19 pandemic. Restaurants, cafes, equipment shops, and various community facilities catering to them sprang up rapidly. Every night, hundreds of motorcycles can be seen lined up near these establishments, with riders gathering in groups to socialize. Park, a 22-year-old member of a motorcycle club, said, "We share riding routes and enjoy camping here. Perhaps because we share a niche hobby, we find a sense of community and come here often."

Authorities have effectively done little to address the issue. To crack down on motorcycle noise, three agencies? the police (enforcement), the local district office (noise measurement), and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (illegal tuning inspections)?must conduct joint nighttime operations, but coordinating schedules is difficult. Even when joint crackdowns do occur, most violations go undetected. According to the Noise and Vibration Control Act, motorcycle noise must not exceed the permissible limit of 105dB. A police official explained, "105dB is comparable to concert-level noise, but when we actually measure it, all readings are below the limit, so there are no violations. Even in the areas with the most complaints?such as roads under elevated bridges?when noise exceeds 105dB, it is usually due to resonance and echo, not direct exhaust."

Even when motorcycles are caught for noise violations, most receive only a slap on the wrist. The police conducted crackdowns on motorcycles in Seongdong-gu last year and so far this year, uncovering six cases of illegal tuning last year and one this year, but most resulted in non-indictment or suspension of indictment. According to the Automobile Management Act, violators may face up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won, but in reality, fines are typically only 300,000 to 500,000 won. Lee Dongmin, a professor of transportation engineering at the University of Seoul and senior vice president of the Korean Society of Transportation, said, "Installing rear license plate enforcement cameras in areas with frequent motorcycle noise could be one solution."