While there have been illegal parking problems on the Pusan National University (PNU) Busan Campus, it has been confirmed that drivers do not use the provided parking lot.

Since the beginning of the semester on September 1st, the problem of parking on the road has been raised as the floating population of the campus has increased. Complaints have been raised as vehicles parked on parts of the streets that must be used by pedestrians, such as crosswalks and bus stops, made walking inconvenient.

For seven days, from September 13th to 20th, the "Channel PNU'' reporter checked the campus roads, and it was not difficult to find cars parked on the campus roads. In particular, the driving spaces in front of buildings such as College of Arts (No. 601), Central Library (No. 510), and Munchang Hall (No. 310) are narrow because of parked and stopped vehicles on the roads, so there is a high risk of contact accidents. Illegally parked cars blocked the front of the bus stop at the College of Arts, interfering with the school shuttle bus operation. Anonymous Student A (Dept. of Politics & Diplomacy, 22) said, "Vehicles illegally parked on the sidewalk often cause students to wait for buses on the road."

There is also a high probability of accidents due to illegally parked vehicles. A dangerous situation occurred in which a kickboard leaving the parking lot almost collided with a car parked on the road, and the vehicle parked on the street almost collided with a pedestrian while reversing. Jeong Yun-Yong (Official, General Affairs and Audit Team) said, "Since the semester's beginning, the number of car accidents on campus has increased, and the number of complaints related to illegal parking is also on the rise."

However, roads on PNU Busan Campus are classified as "off-road" under the current law and drivers cannot be held responsible for violating the Road Traffic Law. It is also challenging to impose fines or disciplinary actions on the owners of illegally parked vehicles because it is impossible for administrative agencies to crack down on them on campus. Currently, two traffic managers are providing guidance by placing a notice on the windshields of road-parked vehicles on campus and requesting by phone that they move.

Meanwhile, the parking lot on campus was empty. The reporter visited the parking lot of the Jayoo Hall (No. 318) at around 11 am and 3 pm, when traffic on campus was congested, but there were more than 20 accessible spaces on most floors except for the 1st and 2nd floors. Although PNU has worked hard to provide parking lots, drivers are not using them. 

Drivers seem to park illegally for "convenience." This is because, due to the nature of the Busan campus located in the mountainous area, it is difficult to move on foot if the destination is in the upper part. An anonymous Student B (Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 21) said, "The College of Arts (No. 601) and Kyung-am Gymnasium (No. 706) are not easy to reach on foot because of the uphill road. Illegal parking seems to be because drivers want to park conveniently near the destination."

The University Headquarters is considering securing parking spaces (Parking lot in front of Induck Hall, Engineering Building No. 6, which is about to be remodeled, and Management Building next to the Former Main Gate, and so on.) and discounting parking rates of the parking lot of the Jayoo Hall, which is under-utilized. Their goal is to identify densely populated parking areas on campus and distribute parking spaces evenly. Official Jeong said, "Although there is not enough space on campus, we will gradually secure parking spaces and urge drivers to enter the campus with a sense of responsibility as it is a matter directly related to safety."

Reporter Jo Seung-Wan

Translated by Seo Hae-Seong