Jongno-gu in Seoul has launched an expanded parking enforcement suspension plan starting this month, widening the no-enforcement window to cover the entire district and introducing flexible enforcement in tourist-heavy areas to support the local economy.
The initiative aims to ease inconvenience for residents and remove barriers to accessing commercial areas, boosting convenience for both residents and tourists to inject vitality into the city. The plan centers on three measures: extending the enforcement-free time window, shifting to a warning-first approach near palaces, traditional markets and tourist sites, and adjusting the operating hours of fixed CCTV cameras.
District Mayor Yoo Chan-jong laid out the policy direction at his inauguration ceremony Wednesday, saying the district would ease enforcement across all of Jongno-gu "so that alley businesses can breathe." He added that improvements were needed to balance visitor convenience with commercial revitalization, saying families visiting the historic palaces should not leave with a negative impression of Jongno because of parking fines.
Previously, the enforcement suspension applied only to 16 CCTV locations during lunchtime, drawing criticism over inequity between neighborhoods and a low sense of policy impact. The district decided to extend the suspension to all areas of Jongno-gu to support alley businesses and improve access to traditional markets.
Under the new plan, the district will halt enforcement by all 196 fixed CCTV cameras daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with on-site officers focusing on warnings rather than citations. Enforcement will continue during those hours, however, in cases that threaten public safety — including absolute no-parking zones such as sidewalks, crosswalks, bus stops, fire hydrants and intersections; child and elderly protection zones; and situations that seriously obstruct traffic, such as double parking or diagonal parking.
To protect the positive image of Jongno as a hub of culture and commerce, enforcement near palaces, traditional markets and tourist sites will be handled flexibly. Officers will first attempt to contact vehicle owners by phone in those zones, and CCTV enforcement will not apply. Vehicles parked in absolute no-parking zones that pose safety risks will still be subject to enforcement.
The district is also standardizing the operating hours of its fixed CCTV cameras. Enforcement hours, which had varied by zone, will be unified to run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., eliminating late-night operation and easing the overnight parking burden residents have long faced.
Safeguards have been put in place to minimize complaints arising from the expanded suspension. Enforcement officers will respond on-site to vehicles that threaten pedestrian safety or obstruct traffic flow during the suspension window. Vehicles blocking building entrances, parking lot access points or side-street entrances will also be subject to enforcement following an on-site check.
Jongno-gu recorded about 130,000 parking enforcement cases last year. The district expects the overhaul to shift parking administration from a regulation-centered model to a cooperative one, striking a balance between safety and convenience while improving living conditions in both residential and commercial areas.
"This will be the starting point of a livelihood-focused parking administration that residents, merchants and tourists can all feel," District Mayor Yoo said. "We will breathe new life into alley businesses and enhance the appeal of Jongno as a hub of culture and commerce."
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