“If you have paid the fine for drinking on a kickboard, you can apply for your license immediately”… Public Conduct Commission points out ‘lack of legislation’
“There is an exception for car drunk driving, but it is clearly unfair not to have a kickboard.” An administrative judgment ruled that the one-year restriction on reacquiring a driver's license for a person who was caught driving an electric kickboard while drunk and paid a fine was excessive. The Central Administrative Appeals Commission imposed a fine of 100,000 won and license cancellation on Mr. A, who was caught driving an electric kickboard, a personal mobility device, while drunk in November last year. Afterwards, Mr. A He attempted to apply for a test to obtain a license again, but the Corporation did not accept the application, saying that the one-year period of disqualification had not passed. Accordingly, Mr. A filed an administrative appeal, saying that since there is an exception clause in the Road Traffic Act that states that a ‘punishment less than a fine’ is confirmed, a license can be acquired even during the period of disqualification, the fine should be viewed with the same purpose. However, the Corporation maintained its position that the fine is not a punishment under the Criminal Act and therefore is not subject to an exception. The idea is that even if a fine is paid, the period of disqualification should still be applied. However, the Public Conduct Commission accepted Mr. A’s argument. The committee said, “Compared to drunk driving of a car or motorcycle, the reason for requiring payment of fines, detention, fines, etc. for drunk driving of a personal mobility device is to impose a light punishment because the risk is considered to be relatively low,” and added, “There is an exception rule that exempts the disqualification period for drunk driving of a car or motorcycle, which is more dangerous, but the absence of related regulations for kickboards is a clear legislative insufficiency.” It continued, “A person who meets and pays the fine cannot get a license right away, and conversely, he cannot meet the requirements. “If a person who has been criminally punished or refused to pay a fine and received a summary judgment can obtain a license, this is completely against the purpose of the system,” he explained, adding, “It is a contradictory situation in which only those who have paid the fine are disadvantaged.” Attorney Byeon Gwan-hoon of the Daeryun Law Firm, who represented Mr. “A deformed situation arises where a summary judgment is requested and punishment is induced,” he said. “We were able to obtain the cancellation of the disposition by actively demonstrating that it was a serious problem that ignores the legislative purpose of the penalty system, which is to reduce unnecessary judicial waste.” The Central Administrative Appeals Committee was established to hear and decide on judgment requests filed against the disposition or omission of central administrative agencies, special cities, metropolitan cities, provinces, and special local administrative agencies affiliated with the central administrative agency. It is a specialized administrative trial organization under the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission of the Republic of Korea. Meanwhile, accidents with drunk electric kickboards occur every year. In 2024, Mr. B was caught by the police after crashing into an SUV while driving an electric kickboard while drinking at an intersection in Songdo International City, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, after violating a traffic signal. At the time of the accident, Mr. B's blood alcohol content was found to be above 0.08%, which is the level for license cancellation. Also, at around 8 pm on August 31, 2025, a vehicle traveling straight on a road near an underpass in Deoki-dong, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, and Mr. C, a man in his 20s who was driving on an electric kickboard on a crosswalk while drunk, collided. Immediately after the accident, Mr. C fled the scene, and the police caught him at his residence. It was reported that Mr. C's blood alcohol level was at a level that would have resulted in his license being revoked. Reporter Seo Da-hee happiness@kyeonggi.com[View full article]
“If you have paid the fine for drinking on a kickboard, you can apply for a license immediately”... Public Conduct Commission points out ‘lack of legislation’ (link)