Public Institutions to Provide Open Parking Lots in Residential Areas with Severe Parking Shortages

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] Starting next month, the open parking lot system, which opens public institution parking lots to the general public, will be fully implemented.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 27th that the enforcement decree containing related provisions passed the Cabinet meeting, following the amendment of the "Parking Lot Act" in February to designate and operate open parking lots, which will take effect from the 5th of next month. The new enforcement decree will also be implemented on the 5th of next month.

Open parking lots are a system that allows others to park by utilizing the idle spaces of existing parking lots. Parking spaces that become available during commuting hours will be opened to the public or provided as resident-priority parking lots. Not only public institutions but also multi-use facilities such as sales, cultural, and sports facilities located in downtown and residential areas, as well as parking lots of target facilities designated by ordinances of basic local governments, can be used as open parking lots.

To designate and operate open parking lots, heads of basic local governments must obtain consent from the owners of the relevant facilities. The opening hours and support measures for open parking lots will be stipulated by separate ordinances.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport expects that once the open parking lot system is fully implemented, the supply of parking spaces will increase in areas suffering from parking difficulties such as residential neighborhoods, contributing to the resolution of parking problems. The ministry plans to provide benefits such as reductions in traffic inducement charges for open parking lots and to discover and disseminate best practices to activate the system.

Eom Myung-so, Director General of Comprehensive Transportation Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "With the institutional foundation for open parking lots established, it is expected to help solve parking problems in areas with severe parking difficulties such as residential neighborhoods," and urged, "City, county, and district offices should also show active interest and efforts to revitalize open parking lots."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.