Neuron Mobility to start business in Korea

Neuron Mobility's e-scooters / Courtesy of Insight Communications

By Baek Byung-yeul

The e-scooter operator Neuron Mobility said Thursday it will start offering its easy-to-ride vehicles in Korea on March 5.

“We are very excited to launch in Seoul,” Neuron Mobility CEO Zachary Wang was quoted as saying in a press release. “Our ethos is to work closely with the city authorities, adapting to meet their needs, particularly when it comes to safety. We look forward to continuing this approach in Korea.”

The company is deploying 2,000 of its new Korean-spec e-scooters starting in Seoul's most affluent district of Gangnam, and plans to refine operations before expanding to other parts of the capital.

Neuron Mobility's core markets are Australia and New Zealand and it claimed its e-scooter business has been successful in these countries as well as the United Kingdom. The three countries are considered among the world's most regulated and safety-conscious e-scooter markets, said the release.

Its Korean-spec KS1 e-scooter features a range of advanced safety features, including an app-controlled Helmet Lock, which integrates a safety helmet to every e-scooter, encouraging all riders to follow the law by wearing one.

“Safety is our top priority,” Wang said. “It dictates our e-scooter design and also the way we operate them.”

E-scooters have been a hot topic here over the last few months, and new laws are set to be implemented on May 13. In an apparent move to improve safety, all e-scooter riders will be required to hold a driver's license, and wear a safety helmet or risk a fine.

Riders must be at least 18 year old, with a driver's license. They can book and use the e-scooters through Neuron's app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.