Getting Parking Lessons

Weaver Adventure Blog for Week of June 25, 2012

So I got a parking ticket. Maybe the second one in my life.  Or third.  Anyway, another fine – 30.00 or so.  32,000 Won.   So enough is enough, says I.  I decided to enlist the aid of Yong-Kwan Kim – one of my colleagues here in Korea.  Yong-Kwan Kim, or YK as he is sometimes called, offered to help me learn to park here some time ago, and I should have taken him up on his offer at the time, but I didn’t.  Another lesson learned…

YK works with the business units and the customers and hospitals where we do business to seek process efficiencies and to develop creative solutions to problems that come up regarding supply chain, contracts, pricing, etc.  I figure if he can help optimize those complex relationships, then surely he can help reduce my anxiety about where to PARK.  Not to mention, save me some money by reducing the number of tickets and tow charges I get!

So he and I wandered around the blocks surrounding the office building where we work, and he explained the situation.  What follows is a short video compilation of YK’s advice, guidance, and philosophy on parking in Seoul.  Check it out. 

Sage advice!  Thanks Yong-Kwan!  I guess time will tell if after this tutorial I can master the gentle art of parking in Seoul.  If not, I may just have to stop driving.  It might be cheaper to take the bus and cabs everywhere, because in addition to the parking lot cameras, Seoul has hundreds of speed cameras that take a picture of your car as you speed past and just send you a ticket.  It’s enough to cause a fair amount of vehicular paranoia.  I’ll keep you posted.

Until next time.

Weaver