Riding Personal Mobility(PM) Safely in Korea
📖 About a 4-minute read · Updated: May 2026
A concise guide for foreign residents in Korea to use e-scooters, electric bicycles, and regular bicycles without violations or accidents.
1. Bottom Line
The safest and most legal option without a license or RC (Registration Card) is a shared bicycle. The main choices are Ttareungi (Seoul's public regular bikes) and PAS-type shared electric bikes such as Gcoo, Kakao T Bike, and Elecle. Other devices — e-scooters and throttle-type e-bikes — require a motor vehicle license (or higher) and a helmet by law. Violations carry fines.
2. PM Categories at a Glance
| Type | License | Helmet | Where to Ride | Min. Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-scooter / Throttle e-bike (PM) | Required (Class 2 moped license or higher) | Mandatory | Bike lane → Right edge of road | 16 |
| PAS e-bike (motor only assists when pedaling) | Not required | Recommended | Bike lane → Right edge of road | 13 |
| Regular bicycle | Not required | Recommended | Bike lane → Right edge of road | None |
Common rules: No sidewalk riding, single rider only, no drinking and riding (applies to bicycles too), lights on at night.
3. For Foreigners, Start with Shared Bicycles
No license needed — and some services don't even require an RC (Alien Registration Card). A passport or email is enough.
| Service | Type | License | Foreigner Sign-up | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ttareungi (Seoul Bike) | Regular bicycle | ❌ Not required | ✅ Passport only (Select "Foreigner" mode in app, overseas credit cards accepted) | Seoul |
| Gcoo | PAS e-bike | ❌ Not required | ✅ Email + credit card only (works for overseas visitors too) | Seoul & other cities |
| Kakao T Bike | PAS e-bike | ❌ Not required | ⚠️ Requires Kakao account (Korean phone verification usually needed) | Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Incheon, etc. |
| SOCAR Elecle | PAS e-bike | ❌ Not required | ⚠️ Korean phone verification required | Seoul & metropolitan area |
💡 If you don't have a Korean phone number — for example, you've just arrived or are visiting short-term — Ttareungi (regular bicycle) and Gcoo (PAS e-bike) are the most reliable options. Ttareungi needs a passport + overseas credit card; Gcoo just needs an email + credit card.
4. Riding an E-Scooter (Shared or Personal)
Under Korean law, an e-scooter is a "vehicle." Confirm these five rules before riding.
- License: Age 16+ with a moped (원동기) license or higher. Unlicensed riding = ₩100,000 fine.
- Foreigners need either a Korean license or an International Driving Permit that includes the A/A1 (motorcycle) category (valid 1 year from entry). A car-only (B) IDP is treated as no license.
- Helmet: Mandatory. Not wearing one = ₩20,000.
- Single rider: Two people on one scooter = ₩40,000.
- No sidewalks: Bike lanes or the right edge of the road only.
- No drinking and riding: ₩100,000 fine (refusing a breathalyzer = ₩130,000), plus your existing car / moped driver's license may be suspended or revoked, plus aggravated punishment if you cause an accident.
- ⚠️ Particularly serious for foreigners: If the Korean license you obtained (or exchanged from your home-country license) gets suspended or revoked, you also lose the right to drive a car. Don't assume "an e-scooter isn't the same as drunk driving a car" — Korean law treats it as a license-affecting offense.
Shared e-scooter apps (SWING, Kickgoing, Lime, Beam, etc.) require an RC + Korean phone in your own name. From 2026, Seoul will make license verification mandatory.
5. E-Bikes — Always Check "PAS or Throttle?" Before Buying
Two "electric bicycles" can fall under completely different legal categories.
- PAS type (motor only assists when pedaling, under 25 km/h and 30 kg): Legally a bicycle. No license needed, can use bike lanes.
- Throttle type / PAS+throttle combo: Legally a PM device or moped. License and helmet are mandatory.
- Models classified as PM (under 25 km/h, under 30 kg, with Korean safety certification (KC)) can use bike lanes — same rules as e-scooters.
- Models that exceed those limits are classified as a moped and cannot use bike lanes (road only).
If you're used to calling a throttle bike an "e-bike" back home, riding it on a bike lane without a license in Korea will get you fined.
6. If You Have an Accident
- Help the injured first → call 119 (medical) and 112 (police)
- Photograph the scene, vehicle plates, and contact details of witnesses
- Report to your insurer or the shared service operator (Ttareungi / Kakao T Bike / SWING, etc.) immediately
- Refusing a breathalyzer is an additional offense — do not refuse
- Multilingual help: Danuri Helpline 1577-1366
7. 30-Second Pre-Ride Checklist
- License confirmed (for PM or throttle e-bikes)
- Helmet on (strongly recommended for PAS / regular bikes)
- Front and rear lights on at night
- Sober — don't ride if you've had even one drink
- No sidewalks, single rider, walk your bike across crosswalks
- Park away from pedestrian paths and tactile paving (Ttareungi: designated docks only)
This guide is for general information only. Check the latest laws at Korea Law Information Center or Easy Law. For the full version, see "PM Safety Guide for Foreigners in Korea (Full)."