Mother in Critical Condition After Protecting Daughter From Scooter Accident... Incheon Yeonsu District to Designate 'Scooter-Free Zones'

Lee Jaeho, Head of Yeonsu District:
"Mandatory License Verification Law Revision Also Needed"

The city of Incheon has announced measures to prevent the recurrence of an accident in which a mother in her 30s, trying to protect her two-year-old daughter, was left in critical condition after being struck by a scooter ridden by unlicensed middle school students.

According to Yonhap News, Lee Jaeho, head of Yeonsu District in Incheon, issued a statement in front of Sinjeong Middle School in Songdo International City, Yeonsu District, on the morning of October 29, declaring, "We will designate areas with heavy foot traffic, such as the streets near private academies in Songdo, as 'scooter-free zones.'"

Riding an electric scooter. The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. Photo by Yonhap News.

He added, "We will also urge lawmakers to revise the law to make license verification mandatory for electric scooter rental companies," and stated, "We plan to request the establishment of a license verification system through meetings with these companies."

Previously, at around 4:37 p.m. on October 18, two unlicensed middle school students riding an electric scooter struck a woman in her 30s, identified as Ms. A, on a sidewalk in Songdo-dong, Yeonsu District. Ms. A suffered serious injuries to her head and other areas and was transported to the hospital, where she remains in critical condition.

It was determined that Ms. A, upon seeing the electric scooter heading toward her daughter without slowing down, stepped in to shield her child and was knocked backward by the impact.

Meanwhile, in Yeonsu District, where the accident occurred, two electric scooter sharing companies operate a total of 3,100 scooters. The electric scooter sharing business is classified as a free business that does not require a permit, so it can be operated simply by registering as a business.

According to the Road Traffic Act, the district office can tow electric scooters left in places where there is a high risk of accidents or where they obstruct the passage of vulnerable pedestrians. However, the office reportedly does not have the authority to impose sanctions on the companies themselves.