Man acquitted after placing 'no parking' sign on illegally parked car

This photo of an underground parking lot is not directly related to this article. (123rf)

A South Korean court recently cleared criminal charges for a man who had been fined for placing a "no parking" signboard on a car that had been blocking the entrance to an underground parking at an apartment complex, the Korea Legal Aid Corporation said Wednesday.

In a case made public by the state-run company, the defendant had sought out the group's help after a local court handed him a fine of 700,000 won ($520) for property damage. The owner of the car had filed charges against the man, claiming that the signboard had caused damage to his car. The car owner also submitted a bill of 350,000 won from a car repair shop.

The Uijeongbu District Court overturned the previous ruling after an appeal was filed, saying the signboard was made of plastic and the defendant merely placed the object on top of the car. It added that the repair bill had been issued six months after the signboard had been placed on the car, and that there was no direct evidence to believe that the car had actually been repaired.

Lawyer Kim Sang-yun of the KLAC, who represented the defendant, said he appealed to the court that the prosecutors had indicted his client despite a lack of sufficient evidence.

The KLAC, an affiliate of the Ministry of Justice, is an organization that provides legal services at low or no charge for those with limited means. Anyone living in South Korea, including foreign residents, can apply for its services.

The criteria for application and the range of services available can be found on the organization's homepage.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)