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THE HEAD OF controversial ride-sharing app Uber has been indicted for running an illegal taxi service in South Korea – and is facing a potential jail term for the charge.
The company’s chief executive, Travis Kalanick, and the boss of its partner firm in the country have been accused of violating passenger transport laws in the Asian nation of about 50 million.
The charge carries a maximum 2-year jail term or fine of 20 millon won (€14,900) and relates to claims the operators were illegally running rental cars as taxis.
Uber has been operating its “black” service in the South Korean capital Seoul since last year, but city officials said they planned to ban the app because of safety concerns and the threat to licensed taxi drivers.
In a statement, the company said it would cooperate with authorities and it was confident the court would make a “fair and sensible” decision.
“We firmly believe that our service, which connects drivers and riders via an application, is not only legal in Korea, but that it is being welcomed and supported by consumers,” it said.
Being hit from multiple fronts
Uber’s black-car service connects passengers direct with limo and hire-car providers, but that move has fallen foul of governments like that of Seoul – which argue the drivers aren’t subject to the same licensing rules as sanctioned taxis.
Officials in the Belgian capital of Brussels recently flagged that they would back a local taxi firm which was trying to shut down Uber for unfair competition.
But the backlash hasn’t stopped investors sinking big money into the 5-year-old San Francisco company, which was valued at $40 billion (€32.8 billion) on the latest fundraising round.
It is now in over 200 cities across the world – including Dublin – although it is facing multiple moves to shut down its operations as well as court cases stemming from incidents involving Uber drivers.
- with AFP
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Best of luck to Irish bookshops tomorrow. Agood news story for sure..
@Paul Gorry: Exactly! I always browse on Amazon then order in my local bookshop. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSHOP! (I admit to having an account with Kenny’s!).
Sad people jumping on bandwagon, the amount of marks in this country is unreal. Pure marks
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: ??? Zero idea what you’re raving about there, to stay on point, looking forward to reading Sally’s latest offering. By all accounts it’s been worth waiting for/ we’ll see. Personally, Normal People will always be a very difficult act to follow
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: Bookmarks?
@Brian O’Brendan: has kevvy morphed once again????
@Buster Lawless: I think he is on the hunt. But I have Slevin running around in circles and he’s saying he’s going to sue me.
@William Slevin: You called me honey badger for 2 days straight. The worst insult anyone could give anyone. And I agreed with all your posts. Get off the boardwalk and get into detox.
@William Slevin: do you know that most comments are forgotten the following day ? I even forget my own a few hours later.
Take it easy, life’s too short.
@Brian O’Brendan: leave William alone you clown.
@Buster Lawless: you are so boring and predictable.
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: Explain??
@William Slevin: Nobody is afraid of you.
@offside again: morning kevvy & the factor 50′s
The only silver lining in Normal People, which is the worst book I’ve ever read, is that it meant that I wouldn’t have to read any of the other drivel she might churn out in future.
@Jipangu: Yeah, however, sadly, plenty of sheep will be queuing in the pen for the herder to release the lock so the can bleet and buy this drivel. She’s the perfect poster child for what passes as art today.
have your say