Godeok District Suffering from Illegal Parking at Samsung Pyeongtaek Campus

Despite Hundreds of Daily Crackdowns, It Is Virtually a Lawless Zone
City Secures Parking Spaces by Utilizing Nearby Idle Land

Around 9:30 a.m. on the 14th, just after the start of the workday, the commercial district of Godeok International New City (Godeok District) in Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi Province, located across the main road from Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus, resembled a massive parking lot from early morning. The roadside was so packed with lined-up vehicles that finding an empty spot was nearly impossible. The 'No Parking' signs posted along the road were rendered meaningless.

A residential area opposite Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus. It was difficult to even pass through due to double-parked vehicles next to the public parking lot.
[Photo by Jeong Doohwan]

The situation on the side streets was even more severe. Every alley was densely packed with cars parked since morning, and public parking lots in residential areas were so congested with double or triple-parked vehicles that even passing through was difficult.

The parking shortage peaks around lunchtime. This is because Pyeongtaek City, the local government authority, designates the period from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., around lunchtime, as an exception time for parking enforcement. With cars filling every inch of the side streets, two of the four lanes on the main road effectively turn into parking spaces, and the alleys become impassable for two-way traffic.

The reason why Godeok District has been suffering from illegal parking since early morning was easily explained. Mr. Kim, who runs a restaurant in the area, said, "They are all Samsung Electronics factory employees," adding, "Since the company parking lot is insufficient, they park their cars in the alleys."

The commercial area of Godeok New Town opposite Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus. Despite the early morning, illegally parked vehicles are lined up along the road.
Photo by Jeong Doohwan

In fact, the parking lot at the entrance of Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus is quite spacious but was already full from early morning. The problem arises because the parking lot provided by the company cannot accommodate the approximately 60,000 residents, including headquarters employees and partner companies.

For Pyeongtaek City, illegal parking is a headache. According to the Pyeongtaek City Integrated Control Center, which is responsible for illegal parking enforcement, the number of illegal parking violations detected daily in the Godeok District commercial area is estimated to be in the hundreds.

An official from the Integrated Control Center said, "We have concentrated CCTV installations for enforcement in the area and continuously manage the situation through mobile patrols, but since there are so many Samsung Electronics and partner company employees, the situation is hardly improving."

Residents are also complaining about the inconvenience. Mr. Choi (male, 45), who lives in a villa near the commercial area, said, "Whenever there is even a small empty space, outsiders recklessly park their cars, causing a lot of inconvenience," adding, "I have consistently filed complaints with the city, but nothing has been resolved."

Therefore, Pyeongtaek City plans to secure additional parking spaces by utilizing nearby idle land. A city official explained, "We are building a tower-type parking lot nearby and are also pursuing a plan to lease school grounds for parking space use," adding, "The school grounds are expected to be operational by October."

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics is also reportedly considering purchasing or leasing separate land to use as parking lots if the parking shortage continues.