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After being implemented as a form of safety for women 14 years ago, women-only parking spots in South Korea are now being removed. The women-only parking spots were introduced in 2009 in response to a spike in violent crimes in underground parking lots.

But, according to city officials, these spots won’t be used any longer and will be changed to parking spaces for families. The law mandated that 10% of the 16,640 public parking spots in Seoul, South Korea’s capital and largest city, be set aside for female drivers. This amounted to just under 2,000 spaces.

According to official data from 2021, rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment accounted for more than two-thirds of violent offenses committed in the city’s parking lots. But the mayor of Seoul, Oh Se-hoon, who made the women-only areas, is changing his mind. He has said that the time has come to think about families.

Expectant mothers and those bringing children on their trips will have priority for the new family-friendly seats. Women who do not meet these requirements will not be permitted to use them, as acknowledged by the city council. This action contributes to what opponents argue is an anti-feminist culture in South Korean politics in recent years.

First adopted in Germany during the 1990s, women-only car spaces have been met with opposition in South Korea. Critics claimed that because some are larger and longer, they contributed to the perception that parking is more difficult for women. The real reason they are larger is that it was thought that women, who in South Korea handle the majority of childcare, would value the extra room to get their kids in and out of the car. The city intends to begin transforming the areas around the end of this month.

Also Read: What Are Pink Parking Lots?

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