Compact car owners cry foul as apartment restricts parking

A notice banning compact cars from using regular parking spaces is posted at an apartment complex. Captured from Bobaedream

An apartment complex is drawing criticism after notifying residents that compact cars would be penalized if parked in regular parking spaces, warning that vehicles could be covered with strong adhesive stickers as enforcement.

A post titled “Notice banning compact cars from regular parking spaces at an apartment” appeared on the online forum Bobaedream on Nov. 13, showing the notice issued under the name of the complex’s management office director.

The announcement, posted last July, said that “despite sufficient compact-only parking spaces available in the underground garage, some compact cars continue to use regular spaces, leading to complaints about a lack of parking for larger vehicles.”

It continued, “We will begin monitoring compact car parking. Compact car owners are asked to cooperate.”

It also listed the targets, dates and details of enforcement, including attaching highly adhesive stickers to compact cars parked in regular spots beginning the day after the notice was posted.

Most online users criticized the policy as unreasonable. “I’d understand if an entire floor were reserved for compact cars, but this is absurd otherwise,” one commenter said.

Another said, “They don’t pay less for parking,” while others argued, “If you’re going to do this, just scrap the compact-only spaces altogether.”

One user claiming to be an apartment manager said, “There is no legal basis to prevent compact cars from parking in regular spots. Even if such rules exist in management bylaws, they cannot override the law.”

However, some commenters sympathized with the situation. “This conflict stems from basic parking shortages,” one wrote. “During peak hours, you often see compact-only spaces empty while regular drivers circle looking for parking. Some mutual consideration is needed.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.