Categories: General News and UpdatesSeoul

Report Illegally Parked Cars in Seoul

Are you still fed up with cars parking everywhere? In a previous post I explained how everyone in Korea can easily report wrong-parked cars or other issues in public space. The blog post received lots of attention and on Reddit some people shared their experience about using such services in Korea. The app seems to have a positive impact.

While the first app can be used anywhere in Korea, now I want to explain how Seoul’s app works. It’s called 서울스마트 불편신고 (Seoul’s smart app to report inconveniences). It’s even simpler than the first app!

That’s the welcoming screen:

Registration asks for your name and mobile phone number. You’ll receive a confirmation code via text message. That is, of course, only required for the first use.

Usually when you open the app, it will directly take you to the report form. The first step is to determine the location.

It will use your GPS but you have to confirm the location on a map.

In the second step, you have to add pictures or videos by clicking on the +. Beneath the pictures you have to choose between three options (from left to right):

report an inconvenience (불편신고)
report a safety issue (안전신고)
illegal parking or stopping (불법주정차신고)

In the third step, a small description of the situation is required.

In the fourth step, you can decide between listening the report (공개) or keep it private (비공개).

Selecting the third option opens up a small information window. It basically says that there will be a fine for a driver if he parks on the sidewalk, pedestrian crossing or on an intersection between 7 am and 10 pm. At least two pictures have to prove the illegal act. The time stamp between the pictures has to be more than a minute. The same laws apply to parking on a handicapped spot (yes, again two pictures!).

The last step: Press the green button to send the report.

Example Sentences to Report Cars

A reader suggested to provide some example sentences for the apps. Here are a couple of sentences that will work well in most of the situations:

The vehicle is blocking the sidewalk:

그 자동차는 보도를 막고 서 있습니다.

The vehicle is blocking the bicycle path:

그 자동차는 자전거도로를 막고 서 있습니다.

The vehicle is parked on the pedestrian crossing:

그 자동차는 횡당보도에 주차해 있습니다.

The car is parked in a no-parking zone for over 5 minutes:

그 자동차는 주차금지 구역에 5분이상 주차하고 있습니다.

Walking is inconvenient and dangerous because of that wrong-parked vehicle:

그 불법주차된 차 때문에 보행에 장해가 되고 위험합니다.

At the end, you can add a nice greeting.

Please take care of it:

잘 부탁드립니다.

Nikola

Co-Author of Kojects. Interested in Sustainable Transportation, Urbanism and Korea.

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View Comments

James says:

June 15, 2015 at 9:38 am

Thanks not only for telling us about the app, but for the great translations and explanations about how to use it. It's a big help to those of us concerned with safety, and also just good old law and order. I'm really looking forward to reporting a couple of perennial trouble spots in my neighborhood.

I'll report back with any news.

Thanks again!