The city government’s program has been so popular among high-density neighborhoods as a way to relieve parking problems while at the same time reducing the incidence of illegal trash disposal. (image: Seoul City Government)
SEOUL, May 16 (Korea Bizwire) – S Oil, one of Korea’s top three oil companies, garnered huge attention last year by staging very unique marketing campaign: the HERE Campaign.
S Oil decided to help their consumers use less gas (due to their failing to find out proper parking space and thereby wandering around the streets) and improve environment through a solution of “parking assistance.”
S Oil established a bright yellow HERE balloon in each parking space. If the parking space is free, drivers can see the HERE balloon from a distance instead of wandering throughout the parking lot on and on.
The company said everyday drivers wander approximately 500 meters to find a parking space. This uses approximately 1 litre of gas per month.
Now, The Seoul Metropolitan City Government has come up with similar but interesting idea, encouraging the local landowners to turn underutilized plots into parking lots — with meaningful success so far. The idea of the city government — using the power of “share economy” sort of — in fact has created a total of 456 lots for the past two years since 2012.
It aims to secure additional 334 lots this year. It has announced it is looking for additional Seoulites who will take the job of turning abandoned land plots within the city into parking spaces until the end of May.
Any landowner who wants to transform unused lands into parking lots can apply for the program with the city government and get up to 2 million won per lot as subsidies to pay for developing the site.
Before and After the program (image: Hagye-dong in Nowon Gu in Seoul)
Once the construction is completed, the site will be under the management of the Seoul Metropolitan Facilities Management Corp. But the land plot must be available for long than one year.
The parking place will be provided to neighborhood residents while the owner can earn part of the proceeds from the fees. Instead of the fee income, the owner may opt to have his property taxes exempted.
The city government’s program has been so popular among high-density neighborhoods as a way to relieve parking problems while at the same time reducing the incidence of illegal trash disposal.
Written by Jerry M. Kim (jerrykim@koreabizwire.com)
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