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.