'Complaint about Maintenance Fees' Car Owner Blocking Shopping Mall Parking Lot for a Week... Sentenced to 1 Year Imprisonment Requested

The prosecution sought a prison sentence for a man in his 40s who left his vehicle unattended for a week at the entrance of an underground parking lot of a commercial building, expressing dissatisfaction with the maintenance fees.

At the sentencing hearing held on the 19th under the presiding of Judge Kwon Soon-nam of the Criminal Division 3 at Incheon District Court, the prosecution requested a one-year prison term for Mr. A, a man in his 40s, who was indicted on charges including obstruction of general traffic.

The prosecution made this request based on the policy to strictly punish cases that cause harm to many people in resolving personal disputes without following legal procedures. Mr. A admitted all charges during the trial and pleaded for leniency.

Mr. A was indicted without detention on charges of obstructing other vehicles’ passage by leaving his car unattended at the entrance of the underground parking lot of a commercial building in Nonhyeon-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon, from June 22 to 28 for one week.

Mr. A, a tenant of the commercial building, was investigated to have committed the act after conflicts with the building management committee over issues such as payment of maintenance fees. Mr. A claimed that the management committee charged maintenance fees twice, but the committee countered that they followed proper procedures.

An empty vehicle is blocking the entrance to the underground parking lot of a commercial building in Nonhyeon-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon. 2023.6.27 [Image source=Yonhap News]

After facing public criticism for leaving his vehicle at the parking lot entrance, Mr. A posted on an online community, stating, "The management committee, which first appeared around May, demanded payment again for several years’ worth of maintenance fees amounting to tens of millions of won that I had already paid to the (commercial) owner," and argued, "It is tyranny to prevent parking lot use if the fees are not paid."

He also explained, "I did not disappear during the (one week of leaving the vehicle). I have two jobs, so I was near the building while managing other work, and I tried to remove the vehicle, but I was discouraged by the presence of reporters and YouTubers."

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