"My Husband's Spot" Fully Taken... Preemptive Parking Space Occupation to Be Regulated by Law

A Fine of 5 Million Won for Blocking or Stacking Items

A bill prohibiting people from obstructing vehicle entry or stacking objects to block passage in order to reserve parking spaces has been proposed.

On the 6th, Song Ki-heon, a member of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party of Korea, announced that he submitted the "Partial Amendment to the Parking Lot Act," which includes such provisions, to the National Assembly.

A video filmed on the 1st at the parking lot of Busan Banyeo Agricultural Wholesale Market. A man is restraining a woman who is lying down in a parking space, blocking it.
[Photo by Instagram capture]

The amendment prohibits obstructive acts such as stacking objects in parking spaces or people blocking passageways in on-street and off-street parking lots, and stipulates a maximum fine of 5 million won for violations.

Under current law, measures such as changing parking methods for vehicles can be taken to ensure efficient use of parking lots and smooth passage; however, there is no legal basis to sanction cases where people, rather than vehicles, obstruct the use of parking lots.

A Busan Woman Lies Down on the Road Saying "This Is My Husband's Spot" When Trying to Park

On the 1st, at a parking lot in Haeundae-gu, Busan, a story became a hot topic where a man trying to park was blocked by a woman who ran over, claimed she had reserved the spot, and lay down on the ground.

The woman said, "I came first and waited beside it," and "I won't get up until my husband arrives," even lying down on the parking lot floor.

In November 2020, in Wonju, Gangwon-do, a minor, in the process of reserving a parking space for their parents' convenience, collided with a driver after a conflict, leading to civil and criminal lawsuits.

If the amendment passes, obstructive acts such as people blocking vehicle entry or preoccupying parking spaces with objects to reserve spots will be prohibited, which is expected to resolve conflicts among parking lot users.

Assemblyman Song Ki-heon said, "Recently, the issue of reserving parking spaces has frequently appeared in black box video report channels," adding, "This amendment will help establish order within parking lots and protect the safety of all users."