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Parents of boy at center of man's death in e-scooter crash fault rental company

Published: 04 Nov. 2025, 21:50

A commuter rides an e-scooter on the streets of Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, on Dec. 9, 2020. The picture is unrelated to the story. [NEWS1]

The parents of a teenage boy have been ordered to pay 100 million won ($69,000) over the death of an older man who died after their son hit him with an e-scooter. They argue, however, that the scooter rental company is also liable.

According to a report by JTBC on Tuesday, the accident occurred in June 2023, when two 13-year-old boys riding a rented electric scooter struck an older man who was walking on a sidewalk. The man suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and later died.

Under current law, personal mobility devices such as electric scooters may only be operated by individuals aged 16 or older who hold at least a motorized bicycle license. However, the boy was able to rent and ride the scooter without any license verification. The juvenile court placed him under protective disposition, and his parents settled with the victim's family for 20 million won.

The victim’s insurance company later filed a lawsuit against the parents, seeking reimbursement of roughly 84 million won in insurance payouts. The parents argued that the scooter rental company should share liability for the accident, but the court rejected their claim.

As a result, the parents must pay both the settlement money and the full amount of the insurer’s claim. The court added that whether the rental company bears any joint responsibility would have to be determined through a separate lawsuit against the company.

“We deeply regret what happened and remain sincerely sorry to the victim’s family,” the parents said in an interview. “But there isn’t a single insurance policy that covers minors. The scooter was something minors are legally prohibited from riding, yet the company allowed it. They knew the risks but failed to act, so they should bear some responsibility.”

They added, “We intend to hold the company accountable, even if this becomes a landmark case. We want to prevent similar tragedies and ensure that minors are not again placed in situations where they become offenders or lawbreakers.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]