By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

Motorists may have to pay a congestion charge of 4,000 won as well as parking fees when they drive to shop at Lotte Department Store and other department stores in central Seoul.

Seoul city government announced Wednesday it was considering charging the fee to drivers who visit major department stores, shopping malls and other buildings causing traffic congestion in the neighboring areas.

The city government has already levied charges on owners of huge buildings holding them responsible for congestion, but the new plan will also force motorists to pay if they drive to facilities.

``We concluded that not only the building owners, but also people driving there should be held accountable for the congestion,'' Yoon Joon-byeong, director general of Seoul's Transportation Policy Bureau (TPB) said during a news conference at City Hall. ``Without the participation of the public, it is impossible to reduce congestion.''

The congestion charge will be effective in reducing traffic levels, saving energy and improving the environment, he said.

The TPB will propose the legislation of a law this week and seek to launch the new program as early as next March.

For the first phase, it has selected 69 facilities that regularly see congestion, including the Lotte Department Store, Shinsegye Department Store and COEX Mall. Of them, the 10 most congested will be regulated under the new law.

The city will let the buildings owner's take steps encouraging people to use public transportation before the introduction of the new congestion fee. It expects the move to decrease daily traffic by 30 percent, or about 10,000 vehicles.

Seoul has only levied congestion charges of 2,000 won on drivers using the first and third Namsan tunnels.

Other big cities such as London and Stockholm have levied congestion fees on drivers traveling within certain zones to reduce congestion.

e3dward@koreatimes.co.kr