Uber is Trying Hard to Get South Korea Ban Lifted

Uber proposed a new registration system on Wednesday for its drivers in South Korea, as an attempt to overcome a ban on connecting passengers to Uber drivers in the fourth-largest economy in Asia.

Uber's Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategy, David Plouffe, said to reports in Seoul that the U.S.-based taxi startup wants to work with regulators to figure out a way for it to operate legally in the country, according to Reuters.

The four-year-old company, which helps users call for taxi-like services from their phones, can be accessed in 250 cites globally, despite being criticized for a number of reasons.

Plouffe added that the system would mean drivers would receive legal commercial licenses, though they would still be subject to minimum requirements on experience and insurance, along with background checks for criminal records.

The changes proposed for South Korea have already been implemented in places like New York, London and California, reflecting the company's new conciliatory tone to legal issues and criticism of its aggressive business approach.

"The solution that we seek with Seoul city, the ministry of transportation and the National Assembly is to find a solution that works for taxis, works for consumers and works for the overall Korean economy," said Plouffe, former campaign manager for U.S. President Barack Obama, according to Reuters.

A Seoul municipal official told Reuters Uber has not presented its proposal formally yet however.

"We have no plans to discuss this proposal with Uber," said the official who did not want to be identified.

Uber's proposal in Korea follows a similar move by the company in India, after it was banned from operating in New Delhi in response to rape allegations against an Uber driver. The company said Monday it has tightened its background screening process in India to include inspection of criminal court records.

Last month, Seoul started offering rewards of up to 1 million won ($929) to people who reported private or rented car drivers providing transportation through Uber, according to Reuters.