Parking fees to be introduced at Gimpo Jangneung royal tomb from June

▲ Gimpo Jangneung, one of the royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Photo provided by the Korea Heritage Service (KHS). (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)

SEOUL, April 7 (Yonhap) -- Visitors to Gimpo Jangneung, one of the royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, will be required to pay parking fees starting in June, the Korea Heritage Service said Tuesday.

According to the agency, the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center under the Korea Heritage Service recently issued an administrative notice on its plan to introduce paid parking at the site beginning June 1.

The parking lot at Jangneung, located in Pungmu-dong in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, has so far been operated free of charge.

The 2,299-square-meter parking lot can accommodate around 60 vehicles, but it has recently faced criticism over insufficient space.

“Long-term parking by non-visitors has caused a shortage of parking spaces,” the center said. “The measure is aimed at securing parking for visitors and establishing proper parking order.”

▲ Gimpo Jangneung, one of the royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Photo provided by the Korea Heritage Service (KHS). (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)

The center plans to collect public opinions on the proposal through April 20 before proceeding with implementation as early as June.

Under the plan, small vehicles will be charged 500 won for the first 30 minutes, with an additional 100 won for every five minutes thereafter once the first hour has passed.

For 15-seater vans, the base fee will be set at 1,000 won for 30 minutes — double the rate for small vehicles — with additional charges applied based on time.

The exact timing of implementation may vary depending on the bidding process and related procedures.

Gimpo Jangneung is the burial site of the parents of King Injo, the 16th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, who reigned from 1623 to 1649.

After ascending the throne through a coup, King Injo posthumously honored his parents as King Wonjong and Queen Inheon and elevated their burial site to the status of a royal tomb to reinforce his legitimacy.

A total of 40 royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty, including Gimpo Jangneung, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2009.

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