Parking Blockades Face Fines Up to 5 Million Won and Mandatory Towing

[Anchor]

Vehicles blocking parking lot entrances and obstructing traffic can now face much tougher penalties. Fines of up to 5 million won can be levied, and mandatory towing has also been made possible.

Reporter Lee Seong-hoon has the details.

[Reporter]

An SUV blocks the entrance to a parking lot, and the driver simply walks away.

Disgruntled over management fees, the vehicle owner blocked the commercial building's only parking lot entrance with their car for an entire week.

This caused inconvenience for residents and created a situation where fire engines or ambulances might have struggled to enter in the event of a fire or emergency.

Police were eventually dispatched, but because it was private property rather than a public road, it was difficult to have the vehicle towed immediately.

In the past, responding to such incidents often required separate legal judgments, such as charges for obstruction of business.

However, things changed starting yesterday (August 28).

Under the revised Parking Lot Act, acts of blocking the entrances and exits of attached parking lots—such as those in apartment complexes, officetels, and commercial buildings—and obstructing the movement of other vehicles are now legally subject to sanctions.

Fines are imposed at 1 million won for a first offense, 3 million won for a second offense, and up to 5 million won for a third or subsequent offense.

Procedures for moving the vehicles have also been established.

Administrators can first advise moving the vehicle, and if the owner fails to comply, they can request necessary measures from local governments.

[Interview / Kim Young-mi / Lawyer: I think the biggest significance is that a mechanism has been put in place allowing the state to tow vehicles even if they are on private property. Parking fees will also be charged at the towed location, so they will have to pay those parking fees as well....]

In addition, fines will be imposed for leaving vehicles abandoned in public free parking lots for a month or longer without a legitimate reason, and for camping, cooking, or lighting fires in public parking lots.

(Video Editing: Jung Yong-hwa)

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