Heavy rain and severe traffic congestion in Seoul left drivers waiting hours to exit the parking garage at Shinsegae Department Store's Gangnam branch.
Reporting by The Seoul Economic Daily found that vehicles at the store in Seoul's Seocho district began having trouble leaving the garage at around 5 p.m. on the 18th as surrounding roads became congested. The department store repeatedly broadcast announcements that exits were being delayed.
"There was no accident. Traffic around the Banpo area is heavy and the rain came suddenly, so exits are being delayed," an official at Shinsegae Department Store said. "We are guiding vehicles out in line with road conditions."
The store said it would not charge additional parking fees through the following day to customers unable to leave. Police also deployed traffic and local officers to the site to direct traffic. Congestion on nearby roads was gradually easing, according to reports.