
Starting in March, e-scooters will be banned in two major areas of Seoul: the bustling "Red Road" in the Hongdae area in Mapo-gu and the Banpo hagwon hub in Seocho-gu.
These locations will serve as the city’s first-ever “electric scooter-free zones,” part of a broader effort to address safety concerns and growing complaints about scooter misuse.
The enforcement will follow a monthlong educational period in February to help residents and visitors adjust to the new rules. By March, violators can expect penalties, as the Seoul Metropolitan Government works with police and scooter operators to crack down on e-scooters in these two areas.
Why these two areas?
Both zones were selected due to their high pedestrian traffic and significant safety risks.

The Hongdae “Red Road,” a 1.6-kilometer stretch along Eoulmadang-ro, is one of Seoul’s busiest streets, attracting large crowds for events like Halloween and end-of-year celebrations. “This area already sees huge numbers of people, including tourists, and scooters only add to the risk of accidents,” said a Mapo-gu official.
The Banpo hagwon hub, a 2.3-kilometer area in Seocho-gu, has a high concentration of children commuting to after-school cram schools, or hagwon, alongside heavy school bus traffic. “With so many kids on the roads, the risk of accidents involving scooters is particularly high,” a Seocho-gu official explained.
Ahead of full enforcement in March, Mapo-gu and Seocho-gu will install traffic guidance signs and launch awareness campaigns to inform the public about the new rules.
Public concern about e-scooter safety grows
E-scooters have surged in popularity across Seoul, but their convenience has come with some costs. Traffic accidents involving e-scooters have risen sharply, with 2,389 incidents reported in 2023 -- 20 times higher than in 2017, according to the Korea Road Traffic Authority. The number of fatalities also rose from 10 in 2020 to 24 in 2023.
A November survey last year revealed strong public support for stricter e-scooter regulations. Nearly 76 percent of Seoul residents favored a complete ban on electric scooters. However, amid continued growth in the personal mobility market, Seoul city officials decided a citywide ban was too extreme and instead opted to target high-risk areas.
While Mapo-gu and Seocho-gu have successfully cleared regulatory hurdles, four other districts -- Gangnam-gu, Gangbuk-gu, Guro-gu and Jongno-gu -- had their proposals for scooter-free zones put on hold. Police cited difficulties with enforcement, such as narrow streets and challenges installing traffic signs.
Seoul officials are now working with these districts to revise their proposals, and additional e-scooter-free zones may be introduced later this year.