Naju-si to Impose Fines for Electric Vehicle Charging Obstruction Starting Next Month

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Lee Han-hyuk] On the 21st, Naju City in Jeollanam-do announced that starting from the 1st of next month, it will impose fines for ‘electric vehicle charging obstruction acts’ at all public electric vehicle charging facilities within the city.

Following the revision and enforcement of the ‘Act on the Development and Promotion of Environmentally Friendly Automobiles’ (abbreviated as the Eco-friendly Vehicle Act) on January 28, the authority to impose fines for obstruction acts in electric vehicle charging zones has shifted from metropolitan/provincial governors to mayors and county heads.

The scope of fines, which previously applied only to rapid charging facilities in public buildings and public use facilities with 100 or more parking spaces, has been expanded to include ‘all public electric vehicle charging facilities.’

Earlier, to prevent inconvenience and confusion among residents during the initial enforcement period, the city conducted publicity and guidance activities for five months, including attaching prohibition stickers against obstruction acts, posting notices, and hanging banners.

Starting from the 1st of next month, the city plans to impose fines of up to 200,000 KRW upon receiving reports related to electric vehicle charging obstruction acts through the ‘Safe Report’ app.

The enforcement targets and fines are as follows: 100,000 KRW for ‘parking of general vehicles in charging zones,’ ‘obstruction such as placing objects in charging facilities or zones,’ ‘continued parking after charging time has elapsed (1 hour for rapid charging, 14 hours for slow charging),’ and ‘use for purposes other than charging’; and 200,000 KRW for ‘intentional damage to charging facilities.’

Meanwhile, due to the amendment of the law, the mandatory installation of electric vehicle charging facilities, which previously applied only to new buildings, has been extended to existing buildings as well.

Charging facilities must be expanded if the total number of parking spaces is 50 or more in apartments or dormitories with 100 or more households, public buildings, public use facilities, public parking lots, and existing facilities (with building permits issued before January 28, 2022).

The installation ratio has also been increased to 2% of total parking spaces for existing facilities and 5% for new facilities, and according to the ‘Jeollanam-do Ordinance on the Promotion and Use of Environmentally Friendly Automobiles,’ at least one rapid charger must be installed.

However, if there is only one charger, it must be a slow charger.

A city official said, “As the distribution of eco-friendly vehicles becomes more active, complaints about illegal parking and other inconveniences at charging facilities are rapidly increasing. We ask for the active cooperation of citizens to establish a mature charging culture worthy of being the number one electric vehicle distribution rate in the province.”

Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Lee Han-hyuk lhh3633@asiae.co.kr

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