"They're telling us to leave the car 4 kilometers away from the airport—then that's not valet parking, is it?"
On the morning of the 23rd at the departure hall of Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport in Jung District, Incheon. After hearing an explanation that the valet parking service could change its operating method, a person surnamed Choi, 43, shook their head and said this. Choi, who said they have used valet parking whenever carrying a lot of luggage, said, "I heard you have to pay 40,000 won to use it right at the airport like before," adding, "It makes no sense that the service stays the same but the price doubles. I'd rather take a taxi."
As Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) pushes to revamp how valet parking is run, passenger complaints are piling up. Under the plan, the existing 20,000 won fee would require customers to drop off and pick up their vehicles at a location 4 kilometers from the airport, while using it right at the airport would cost double under a "premium (40,000 won)" option.
As the controversy grew, the corporation put the rollout on hold for now. Still, passengers at the airport said they were worried, asking, "Can't they push it again at any time?"
◇They'll unload luggage, they say… "premium" 40,000 won
The corporation had been reviewing splitting Terminal 1 valet parking operations into two tiers—"standard" and "premium"—instead of a single-rate system. Currently, valet intake and return are handled at the short-term parking lots on basement levels 1 and 3 directly connected to the airport. The sites are directly connected to the airport, allowing movement through interior facilities, and are a three to four minute walk to both departures and arrivals.
Under the revamp, however, the intake and return point for "standard" valet would move to the long-term parking lot near the Club 72 Golf Course (Sky Course). It is about 4 to 5 kilometers by car from Terminal 1. Users would have to drop off their cars there and take a shuttle bus to the airport. After returning, they would have to take the shuttle back to the parking lot again. The shuttle would run every 10 to 15 minutes, and including travel time, it would take up to 25 minutes. That means a round trip of 50 minutes just to drop off and pick up the car.
To drop off a vehicle right at the airport as before, users would have to choose the premium service at 40,000 won. The corporation said the premium would add services such as unloading luggage from the vehicle or laying plastic on the driver-side floor before driving.
But passengers said the corporation's proposal would make the "standard" valet effectively no valet at all. A person surnamed Kim, 55, met at the airport said, "Valet parking is a service you use for convenience, but this structure essentially nudges you into choosing the 40,000 won option," adding, "It looks like a trick to raise prices."
A person surnamed Kim, 63, also said, "The standard valet, which would require moving in wind and rain, seems far too inconvenient," adding, "Once people go through it once, they'll end up choosing the premium."
◇One hour just to go back and forth for "standard" valet
Assuming the plan takes effect, a visit to the long-term parking lot showed severe access issues. There was no city bus route, and aside from the shuttle, the airport railroad was effectively the only public transit option.
Taking the airport railroad from Terminal 1 to the long-term parking lot took 31 minutes. Of that, 25 minutes were on foot. It was a difficult setup for pulling luggage. Near the parking lot, there was no shelter from wind and rain, and there were no basic amenities such as restrooms.
The trip back to the airport was no easier. There were almost no taxis waiting nearby, so in many cases people waited more than 10 minutes after hailing one. Including travel time, it took about 20 minutes just to return to the airport. One taxi driver said, "I was puzzled the call came from such a remote spot," adding, "I can't understand leaving a car for valet in a place like this, and I wonder if many people will use it."
Passengers also pointed to the heavy cost burden. Valet parking around Apgujeong in Gangnam District, Seoul, runs about 4,000 to 5,000 won, and Gimpo Airport valet costs 20,000 won. On top of valet charges, parking fees are separate: the short-term lot costs up to 24,000 won per day, and the long-term lot is 9,000 won per day.
◇Halted for "two months" after government brakes… passengers fear "it will be pushed again"
The government put the brakes on the corporation's valet revamp plan. Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, at a senior secretaries' meeting the day before, instructed the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to review in consultation whether the airport corporation's operator selection and service changes were conducted fairly and in accordance with procedure.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) pushed the implementation to Feb. 2026 and ordered the airport corporation to come up with alternatives that consider passenger expense burdens and departure flow.
Still, passenger unease did not subside. A person surnamed Lee, 42, said, "It may be paused now, but I think the plan could be pushed again someday," adding, "In the end, the burden will likely fall on passengers."
Regarding the controversy, the corporation said, "We will work closely with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) to ensure no passenger inconvenience occurs."