Frankly, we have high hopes for this amendment, as the situation has been frustrating for a long time. Many are watching to see if this powerful law can change the ingrained parking culture. It’s time to remember that inconsiderate parking behavior is no longer just bad manners but a subject of legal punishment.

‘Staking Out’ and Blocking Entrances: What Was the Problem?

Blocking parking lot entrances or ‘staking out’ public parking lots for extended periods has consistently been pointed out as a problem. Apartment and commercial building parking lots were difficult to apply the Road Traffic Act to because they were private property, and in reality, there were no clear sanctions other than ‘parking tickets’. Blocking entrances in emergency situations can lead to even more serious problems. There was always a risk of casualties by preventing fire trucks or ambulances from entering during fires or medical emergencies. For these reasons, it caused not only public inconvenience but also safety issues, leading to continuous social controversy. Ultimately, the general consensus was that existing regulations made it difficult to effectively respond to such intentional and repeated parking obstruction.

Revised Parking Lot Act: Key Contents?

The core of this amendment to the Parking Lot Act is to significantly strengthen sanctions against parking obstruction. First, if a vehicle blocks the entrance to an apartment or commercial building parking lot, the manager can request the owner to move it. If the owner refuses, a fine of up to 5 million won and towing can be imposed. What was previously difficult for managers to handle directly has now been legally clarified. Furthermore, the criteria for long-term parking in free public parking lots will be strengthened. Previously, enforcement was carried out on an individual parking space basis, but in the future, it will be expanded to cover the entire parking lot. Therefore, tricks like moving vehicles to avoid enforcement for long-term parking will no longer work. If a vehicle is parked for more than one month without a legitimate reason, a fine of up to 1 million won will be imposed.

• Blocking Entrances: Up to 5 million won fine and towing if owner refuses manager’s request to move.
• Long-term Public Parking: Up to 1 million won fine for parking over 1 month, and enforcement strengthened based on ‘entire parking lot’.

Will Accident Risks Also Decrease? Connection to Safety Issues

Disorder and illegal parking in parking lots often lead to serious accidents beyond mere inconvenience. In February 2026, a terrifying accident occurred in Gwangju when a car driving on the road plunged into an apartment parking lot, hitting five parked vehicles. Also, in April of the same year, in Yeosu, a ready-mix concrete truck broke through a retaining wall and fell into an apartment parking lot, damaging eight vehicles in a major accident. As these accidents show, securing parking spaces and maintaining clear traffic flow are directly linked to the safety of both drivers and pedestrians. If parking lot entrances are always secured through this amendment, it will greatly help in securing golden time during fires or emergency rescue situations. Ultimately, eradicating parking villains is an important task connected not only to parking order but also to safety issues directly related to life.

This revision of the Parking Lot Act will undoubtedly serve as an opportunity to advance parking culture. We hope that the frustrating parking problems will be resolved to some extent. If mature parking awareness among citizens is combined with strengthened law enforcement, a safer and more pleasant parking environment can be created.

게시물 Parking Villains, No More? Fines Up to 5 Million Won from August – Will It Really Change?이 솜삽 블로그에 처음 등장했습니다.

Currently, there is a high demand for severe punishment for violent crimes in Korea, but at the same time, concerns about excessive punishment are consistently raised. The President’s resolute remarks in this situation are interpreted as a message that goes beyond simply improving one or two systems, calling for a re-examination of our society’s entire judicial system. Let’s delve deeper into its meaning together now.

“Abuse of Punishment? Our People Have the Most Criminal Records?” Background of the President’s Remarks

President Lee Jae-myung brought up this issue at a cabinet meeting while receiving a report on ‘Plans to Rationalize Punishment’ from the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The President’s core criticism is this: by making everything from morally reprehensible acts, disciplinary matters, to civil liability for damages subject to criminal punishment, the power of investigative agencies like the prosecution has become excessively bloated, and even judicial power is being used for political purposes.

This is the background to the President’s expressions of “collapse of the principle of ‘no crime without law'” and “nation of top criminal records.” There were also criticisms that as regulations are ambiguous and broadly interpreted, society is becoming ‘without standards,’ where citizens cannot predict which actions will be punished. In fact, such issues have been consistently raised, but the President’s direct and strong mention of them carries a different meaning. In particular, the mention of criticism regarding ‘prosecutorial state-ization’ was quite strong.

5 Million Won Fine Becomes 50 Million Won Surcharge? The Two Faces of Strengthening Economic Sanctions

The President questioned the effectiveness of current criminal punishments, especially fines, and emphasized the importance of ‘economic sanctions.’ He suggested that in this day and age, strong economic sanctions like administrative fines or surcharges might be more effective than criminal penalties like fines. For example, he even said that if a 5 million won fine were changed to an administrative fine, the amount would have to be increased significantly to 50 million won or 100 million won to have a deterrent effect.

• Advantages: It can enhance crime prevention. Strong economic sanctions can be particularly effective for crimes motivated by economic gain. It can also help reduce prison overcrowding and facilitate the social reintegration of offenders. Since it is handled through administrative procedures, it also has the advantage of reducing the waste of judicial resources.
• Disadvantages: Inequality based on economic power can worsen. The same amount of fine or administrative fine might be trivial for the wealthy, but devastating for ordinary citizens. Excessive economic sanctions could potentially infringe on citizens’ fundamental rights or foster the perception that ‘money can wash away sins.’ There is also a clear concern that the meaning of ‘retribution’ or ‘social condemnation’ inherent in punishment could fade.

Honestly, I agree that economic sanctions could be effective. But am I the only one worried that it might become a system that only benefits the rich?

Crisis of the Principle of ‘No Crime Without Law’? Time to Reconsider the Essence of the Punishment System

I believe the President’s remarks ultimately pose a fundamental question about whether our society’s punishment system is properly fulfilling its original purpose. The purpose of punishment goes beyond simply ‘retribution’ for punishing criminals; it also includes ‘general prevention’ to raise awareness among community members, and ‘special prevention’ to help criminals return to society. However, if criminal punishment is overused as it is now, these essential purposes can become blurred.

• Main purposes of punishment:
  • Retribution: Ensuring that one pays a just price for the crime committed.
  • General Prevention: Warning others not to commit the same crime.
  • Special Prevention (Rehabilitation and Resocialization): Educating and improving criminals so they do not commit crimes again.
  • Incapacitation: Separating dangerous criminals from society to ensure safety.

Recently, discussions about the abolition of the death penalty and the introduction of alternative punishments are also growing louder. This also stems from deep contemplation about the essence and effectiveness of punishment. It seems to be a time when we need to put our heads together and consider not just raising or lowering the level of punishment, but what kind of sanctions are most effective and just for our society.

I hope that the President’s remarks will serve as an opportunity to end the era of excessive punishment and create a more rational and effective punishment system. I hope it doesn’t just end in political debate but leads to real change for the people. I hope everyone pays attention to this issue.

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