Unauthorized Parking Continues Past Promised Deadline
Car Owner Leaves Note Saying "Car Abandoned Due to Sudden Detention"
Residents of an apartment-style villa in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, have been struggling for about six months due to a vehicle parked without permission.
On the 26th, a post titled "Unauthorized Parking in Apartment for Half a Year" was uploaded on the online community BobaeDream, drawing attention. According to Mr. A, who identified himself as a resident, a BMW has been parked in the villa's first-floor parking lot since around the end of last year. Although the villa has a barrier gate, it opens automatically whenever a car approaches, allowing anyone to enter.
A threatening note was left after a no-parking sticker was attached. [Photo by BobaeDream homepage capture]
The BMW left there accumulated a thick layer of dust as it was neglected, prompting Mr. A to report it to the district office. On March 2nd, the district office staff attached a "Notice to Remove Abandoned Vehicle" sticker to the BMW. The deadline for action was set for May 2nd, two months later.
However, as the forced towing date approached, a new note was found on the vehicle. It read, "Due to sudden detention, I had no choice but to leave the car here. I will retrieve it by May 7th."
On or around May 7th, a woman came and cleaned the car with wet wipes and bottled water. Mr. A said, "I thought they were finally going to take the car, but instead, they parked it on the opposite side and left it there, which was absurd."
On the 23rd, a post titled "Unauthorized Parking in the Apartment for Half a Year" was uploaded on the online community BobaeDream. [Photo source = online community 'BobaeDream']
Afterward, another note was attached to the vehicle. It contained a threatening message: "I will remove the car by May 13th, so don't put stickers on it, you XX bastards. Before I kill you."
As the unauthorized parking continued, Mr. A sought help from the police. However, he explained that the police responded there was no immediate way to handle the situation.
As the forced towing date approached, a new note was found on the vehicle. It read, "Due to sudden detention, I had no choice but to leave the car unattended. I will pick up the car by May 7." [Photo by Online Community 'BobaeDream']
Mr. A also received guidance that he could file charges for threats and obstruction of business, but residents are too scared to take any action, fearing what the car owner might do.
Mr. A lamented, "It seems the owner has no intention of removing the car," adding, "The owner is a tattooed person, so no one dares to step forward, which is causing headaches."
One netizen advised, "Check if the apartment parking lot is a paid parking lot registered as a business," but Mr. A added in a follow-up post on the 23rd, "After checking with the management office, it is not a paid parking lot. It seems there is nothing legally that can be done."
Unauthorized Parking Vehicles Difficult to Handle by Police or Authorities
The BMW vehicle parked without permission has been confirmed to be managed by the owner, who leaves notes and cleans it, making it difficult for the district office or police to exercise authority. [Photo by Online Community 'BobaeDream']
Meanwhile, according to Article 81, Clause 8 of the Automobile Management Act, owners or possessors who abandon vehicles without permission may face imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 10 million won.
However, the BMW in question is confirmed to be a vehicle that is managed, as the owner leaves notes and cleans it, making it difficult for the district office or police to exercise authority.
Regarding unauthorized parking, in June last year, a driver in his 20s, Mr. B, who parked his vehicle in a multi-family house during a time when there was no manager or resident, was fined 500,000 won in the first trial.
Mr. B was charged with "trespassing on a building." At that time, the building owner sent a message asking Mr. B to move the car after discovering the unauthorized parking, but Mr. B did not respond for nearly an hour. There was no separate parking barrier installed at the building.
Mr. B claimed he only briefly parked in the piloti parking space on the first floor of his own building (a building supported by columns with an open ground floor) and had no intent to trespass, but the court judged, "The parking lot is objectively clearly provided for the use of the building and is a space where outsiders should not enter recklessly."
The court further stated, "It appears the defendant had at least indirect intent to trespass on the building," and found Mr. B guilty.
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