Average of 101,800 Illegal Parking Violations Annually Over the Past 3 Years
Despite Increased Enforcement, Issues Persist
"Urban Parking Space Expansion Must Accompany Enforcement"
Amid ongoing issues with illegal parking and stopping in school zones, local governments responsible for management and supervision are facing difficulties in enforcement due to protests from residents. Experts advise that simply strengthening enforcement has its limits in solving the problem and that measures to improve parking infrastructure within the area should be implemented concurrently.
On the afternoon of the 23rd, vehicles are parked in a school zone in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Seohee Lee]
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 24th, the number of reports of 'illegal parking and stopping in school zones' submitted to the 'Safety Report Center' over the past three years (2021?2023) has exceeded an average of 100,000 cases annually. Complaints about illegal parking in school zones, which numbered around 110,000 in 2021, slightly decreased to about 97,000 in 2022 but rose again to approximately 98,200 in 2023. The number of reports received up to September this year is also 71,301.
In 2021, the government raised the fine for illegally parked vehicles in school zones to 120,000 KRW, three times the amount for general roads (40,000 KRW). This was intended to prevent accidents where vehicles parked in school zones block drivers' views, causing collisions with children who are relatively shorter in stature.
However, parents with young children still complain that illegal parking is concentrated during the times when children mainly commute to and from school. On the afternoon of the 23rd, illegal parking vehicles were densely packed in a school zone less than 100 meters from an elementary school in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Im Hye-jin (42), who has an elementary school-aged child, said, "The streets in this neighborhood are already narrow, and illegal parking makes it difficult for children to walk through. I've filed complaints several times, but out of ten reports, enforcement officers show up maybe once. It seems the local government has given up on enforcement."
Officials responsible for enforcing illegal parking say that complete eradication is realistically difficult. As safety issues in school zones, such as those addressed by the Min-sik Act, have become social concerns, local governments have strengthened enforcement, but there is no practical way to penalize vehicles exploiting blind spots without cameras.
A representative from the Parking Planning Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Transportation Office said, "We are increasing the number of enforcement cameras and continuously deploying officers to strengthen illegal parking enforcement. However, it is difficult to completely eliminate vehicles that exploit enforcement gaps. When local governments try to strengthen enforcement alone, they face strong opposition from nearby merchants and residents. We receive complaints like, 'The economy is already tough, so how can we not be allowed to park?' and 'There is nowhere suitable to park.'
Experts foresee that the problem cannot be solved without improving parking infrastructure in urban areas. Professor Ko Jun-ho of Hanyang University's Department of Urban Engineering said, "There are clear limits to simply strengthening enforcement against illegal parking without securing parking spaces in urban areas. After business hours, public institution parking lots should be opened to nearby residents, and private parking lots should be encouraged to participate to secure parking spaces." He added, "Expanding shuttle buses and other means to encourage residents to use public transportation instead of private cars can also be a solution. The parking space issue must be addressed from a long-term perspective starting now."
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