The 800-meter stretch from Wiryeo-dong Community Center to Wiryeo Jungang Prugio will ban all personal mobility devices around the clock starting Wednesday.
Songpa-gu in Seoul will designate an approximately 800-meter stretch of the Wiryeo Transit Mall walkway — running from the Wiryeo-dong Community Center to Wiryeo Jungang Prugio — as a "kickboard-free zone" starting Wednesday, in a bid to create a safer pedestrian environment for residents.
As electric kickboards and other personal mobility devices have become common tools for short-distance travel, safety concerns including collisions with pedestrians have mounted.
According to the Korea Road Traffic Authority, personal mobility device-related traffic accidents totaled 2,232 in 2024, leaving 23 people dead and 2,486 injured.
The district has moved proactively to reduce collision risks between personal mobility devices and pedestrians.
In December last year, the district asked the Seoul Metropolitan Government to designate the walkway near the Wiryeo tram line as a kickboard-free zone, and the Wiryeo Transit Mall walkway was ultimately selected as a new site. A resident survey conducted in June and July this year found unanimous support for the designation among respondents.
The Wiryeo Transit Mall is a pedestrian-centered space dense with shops and apartment complexes. With foot traffic expected to rise ahead of the opening of the Wiryeo tram line, the district plans to focus on building a pedestrian environment that puts safety first.
The kickboard-free zone bans all personal mobility devices around the clock — including electric kickboards, self-balancing two-wheeled vehicles, and electrically powered bicycles. Violators face a fine of 30,000 won ($22) and 15 demerit points under the Road Traffic Act.
The district has been ramping up public awareness efforts ahead of the launch to ensure residents are not caught off guard by the new rules and penalized as a result.
Banners and streetlight displays have been installed throughout the Wiryeo Transit Mall area since Sept. 7, and on-site outreach has been conducted during after-school and evening commute hours. The district plans to hold six rounds of on-site guidance through late October — beginning Wednesday — to inform the public about the restricted zone and usage rules, while also notifying nearby schools through the Songpa district newsletter, the district website and the Smart Seoul Map.
"Guaranteeing residents the right to walk safely is an important part of protecting everyday safety," Songpa-gu District Mayor Seo Gang-seok said. "We will make sure the new traffic rules are widely understood so that residents do not face any inconvenience or penalties, and we will work to build a safe pedestrian environment."
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