"Compact Cars Must Park Only in Compact Spaces, 10,000-Won Fine for Violations" – Is This Rule at a New Apartment Too Harsh? [What Do You Think?]

[Financial News] A notice outlining parking rules at a newly built apartment complex in Korea has sparked controversy.

On the 12th, a post titled "Apartment where compact cars are fined for parking in regular spaces" was uploaded to an online community. According to the poster, identified as A, the complex began move-ins in January last year and has an underground parking lot spanning four basement levels.
What A shared was a parking regulations notice decided by the Council of Occupant Representatives. The notice states that a penalty will be imposed for violations of the parking rules, with key items including vehicles without visitor passes or parking stickers, vehicles occupying two or more parking spaces, violations involving the use or obstruction of disabled parking spaces, and parking in electric-vehicle charging bays.
The contentious part concerns "compact cars parked in regular parking spaces." The notice explains that a penalty of 10,000 won will be imposed both on compact cars parked in regular spaces and on regular vehicles parked in compact-only spaces. This has prompted criticism that "since there are few compact-car spaces, it is unreasonable to prohibit compact cars from using regular parking spaces."
Some commenters said, "It is clearly wrong for regular cars to park in compact-car spaces because it obstructs passage and movement, but no parking lot bans compact cars from using regular spaces," and similar reactions followed.

On the other hand, some argued, "There are drivers who deliberately park in regular spaces just because it is more convenient for them, even when compact-car spaces are clearly available," and "If the apartment complex has a sufficient number of compact-car spaces, a rule like this is not necessarily a bad idea."
Meanwhile, the Council of Occupant Representatives at this apartment complex announced, "In the event of a violation, a parking violation notice and bill will be issued. If a household files an objection and the objection is accepted, the penalty will be canceled. If it is determined that a violation did occur, the household must pay the penalty for breaching the regulations within one week of the bill being issued."
The notice also states, "If the penalty for breaching the regulations is not paid within two weeks, or if the household does not express an intention to participate in enforcement activities or does not actually participate, all vehicles registered to that household may have their parking registration canceled, or the household may be barred from using the 110 hours of visitor parking time allocated per unit."
bng@fnnews.com Kim Hee-sun Reporter