South Korea tightens rules on 'road-blocking' parking, introduces towing

South Korea has introduced significantly stricter measures to combat the disruptive practice of 'road-blocking' parking, where vehicles are parked in a manner that obstructs the entrances and exits of apartment or commercial building parking lots. Effective immediately, violators face substantial fines and the possibility of their vehicles being towed.

The revised Parking Lot Act and its enforcement decree, which came into effect on August 28th, clearly define and penalize the obstruction of vehicle access. The penalties are tiered, with first-time offenders receiving a fine of 1 million won, second offenses incurring 3 million won, and subsequent violations leading to a maximum fine of 5 million won.

Beyond fines, the new regulations empower local governments to intervene more directly. Parking lot managers can now request drivers or responsible parties to reposition their vehicles. If these requests are ignored, local authorities, including mayors and governors, can order the towing of the obstructing vehicle. This intervention is a significant change, as previously, private parking lots were considered private property, making swift administrative action difficult.

In addition to addressing obstructive parking, the revised laws also target the long-term abandonment of vehicles in free public parking lots. Vehicles left for over a month without a valid reason will be subject to fines, starting at 300,000 won for the first offense and increasing for repeat violations. Furthermore, activities such as camping, cooking, or lighting fires in public parking lots are now prohibited, with fines also applicable for such infringements.