When you first start driving in South Korea, you might be a little bewildered by the parking situation. It can be difficult to figure out where to park, and how much it will cost. Worse yet, it can be nerve-wracking being unsure if you’ll end up with a parking ticket. Here’s a guide to parking in South Korea.
Parking Symbols
First off, you might notice that a lot of parking spaces have certain symbols you may not be used to. Handicapped parking spaces are easy to identify, but you may also see parking spaces with a pink woman figure painted on them. These parking spaces are to be used by pregnant women, women with small children, and other people who likewise need to be parked close to the door but are not necessarily handicapped. You will not get a ticket for misusing these spaces, but it’s highly encouraged to reserve these spaces for those who need them.
Some spaces have the word “경차” on them. This means “light car” in Korean. “Light car” in most car contexts in Korea means that the car is both small and eco-friendly.
The Korean government gives incentives to eco-friendly cars (such as the Chevy Spark and the Kia Morning) in the form of gas money, discounts on tolls and public parking lots, etc. However, in the context of a parking lot, you can park in a 경차 spot as long as your car fits.
Street Parking
Until you are familiar with the area, it is highly advisable to go for a parking lot to avoid getting a parking ticket, which can be between 30,000 and 50,000 won.
Places, where you can’t park on the street, will be denoted by “No Parking” signs (“주차 금지”) and/or yellow and black striped poles.
Also, keep an eye out for signs dictating what times of day parking is appropriate – if you are parking overnight in an area that seems fine for parking, double check for signs letting you know if you need to move your car by 7 am, for example.
If you’re parking on a commercial street, do not park in front of any doorways or garage doors.
As always, stay clear of fire hydrants, and make sure your car does not extend into a crosswalk.
Check for CCTV cameras, which may be used in No Parking zones to catch offenders. If there’s a CCTV camera, it might be best to simply avoid the spot altogether.
Also Read:How does Parking work in Japan
Parking Lots and Garages
You will be able to find public parking (공영 주차장) in downtown and commercial areas.
Public parking lots are cheaper than private ones and offer 50% discounts for “light cars” (small cars that are also eco-friendly). Some parking zones also have a “first two hours free” policy, which can be great if you want to just stop somewhere quickly or pop into a store. For all public and private lots, there will be a sign near the entrance or on the worker’s booth listing the rates.
Some parking lots will scan your license plate and calculate your fee automatically as you exit, and some lots will give you a paper slip. Parking lots that issue a paper slip will often allow part of the parking time to be reimbursed if you are a patron of one of the nearby businesses. Some parking lots will have a list of the eligible businesses on their sign, but even if you don’t see the business’s name, it doesn’t hurt to show them your slip and ask if they validate parking. If they do, they will usually stamp your slip, thus reimbursing you a certain amount. Some stores and restaurants will give paper parking vouchers depending on how long you were at their business.
“민원” parking lots are for public offices, such as the immigration office, city hall, or police station. They are generally free of charge, but do not use these unless you are going into that location – you’ll risk a ticket!
Some big marts will charge you for parking if you stay for more than 30 minutes and/or don’t have a receipt.
Paying for parking
A lot of parking lots and parking garages are automated and work by scanning your car on the way in. For these types of lots, you simply have to pay by card or cash through your window as you’re exiting. This is common for public lots.
Some lots, especially private lots, will give you a slip of paper which is calculated as you leave. Some private lots may offer a discount if you pay by cash rather than a card, so I like to keep a stash of bills in my car for those situations.
Some lots use kiosks for payment. Before going to your car, you will have to enter your car license plate number into the system, then pay at the kiosk.
It might take some getting used to (and some circling the block in unfamiliar areas), but after you’ve been driving for a bit, parking in South Korea will become second nature to you. Just remember these tips to avoid parking tickets, and you’ll be good to go.
