The CEO of app-based ride-sharing service provider Uber, Travis Cordell Kalanick, has again requested a Seoul court to postpone a trial slated for Wednesday over operating an illegal taxi service here, legal sources said.
The American entrepreneur was expected to appear at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, one and a half years after he was indicted on the charges. His legal representatives had asked the court to designate a hearing date earlier this month.
The court, however, said the representatives have again filed a petition, seeking adjustment of the date on Wednesday morning, citing personal reasons.
When the hearing will take place has not been decided at the moment, the court said, adding it will review ways to proceed.
In December 2014, Kalanick was indicted on charges of violating the Passenger Transport Service Act. Uber entered the South Korean market in 2013 and launched the smartphone-based UberX service in partnership with MK Korea, a rental-car service operator.
It was designed to connect customers with private drivers without a commercial taxi license.
The Seoul city government had filed a series of complaints with prosecutors, citing the domestic law prohibiting rental-car service operators from offering taxi services. Violators can face imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of 20 million won ($17,000).
Repeated calls to the company seeking comment went unanswered. (Yonhap)