Traffic Congestion to Be Heavily Taxed

Seoul City plans to levy heavier taxation on facilities that cause aggravated traffic congestion.

Any building exceeding 30,000 square meters in ground floor area will be designated as a ``supervision-needed facility,'' an official from the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Friday.

``Heavier taxation is expected to ease traffic jams. The plan is part of a strategy to encourage such facilities to follow the city's traffic programs,'' he said.

The target facilities are 380 department stores, office buildings and shopping malls.

Most are located in busy areas _ 91 are in Jongno and Jung-gu, downtown Seoul, and 80 are in Gangnam, southern Seoul.

They include Lotte Department Store in Jung-gu and its branch in Yeongdeungpo; the Galleria Department Store and COEX in Gangnam; Seoul District Court in Seocho-dong; and the GS Group headquarters in Yeoksam-dong.

The city government will invite building managers from congested areas to a meeting in October to explain the plan.