UPDATE: Uber Monday evening called Seoul city government's earlier statement a sign that it lags behind in adopting what it called an innovation in transportation. "Comments like these show Seoul is in danger of remaining trapped in the past and getting left behind by the global 'sharing economy' movement," the statement said. An Uber spokesman in Seoul denied that the service was illegal as Uber is "a technology company that connects drivers with passengers" and doesn't directly run a taxi service with rented cars.

The...