If You Remove the Speed Limit, Registration as a Motorized Bicycle Is Required
"Illegal Modification Alone Is Punishable"
There are growing concerns that methods for removing the maximum speed limits on personal mobility devices (PM), such as electric bicycles and electric kickboards-limits set for safety reasons-are openly shared online, potentially endangering road safety.
Methods to Remove Speed Limits on Electric Bicycles and Electric Kickboards Shared on YouTube and Portal Sites. Screenshot from YouTube and Portal Sites
On November 3, a search on YouTube and portal sites for videos and posts about removing speed limits on electric bicycles revealed numerous pieces of content detailing how to disable these restrictions. According to YouTube videos, the process is simple enough for anyone to follow. Because it is so easy to remove the speed limit, there has been ongoing public criticism of so-called "Jatobai" riders (a portmanteau of "bicycle" and "motorcycle") who ride on bike paths at speeds exceeding 25 km/h. Choi, a 45-year-old office worker who commutes by bicycle, said, "The speed of these Jatobai, after disabling the speed limit, seemed to be at least 40 km/h. At night, they overtake other bicycles at high speed without even turning on their lights, which looks extremely dangerous."
Under current law, PMs must have an output of 500W or less and must not operate at speeds exceeding 25 km/h to be legally operated. If these requirements are not met, they cannot be used on bicycle paths, and the rider must obtain a "Type 2 Motor-Driven Bicycle License" and wear a helmet. If caught modifying a device to not meet safety standards, offenders may face up to six months in prison or a fine of up to 5 million won.
However, even though around 100 safety accidents involving cyclists occur annually due to carelessness, enforcement remains difficult. This is because removing the speed limit does not change the exterior of electric bicycles or electric kickboards, making it hard to distinguish between modified and factory-standard products on the road. In addition, attaching a license plate or speedometer to bicycles is not mandatory. For these reasons, the police focus enforcement more on violations of the Road Traffic Act rather than on illegal modifications themselves.
Jung Kyungok, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Transport Institute, pointed out, "These products are not designed to be ridden with the speed limit removed, so the act of illegally modifying them itself is problematic. If someone has illegally modified a device, it is not enough to simply avoid bike paths; they must also have a license and comply with all regulations applicable to motor-driven bicycles."
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