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South Korea’s capital plans to remove its women-only parking spaces 14 years after introducing them, a move critics described as the latest example of “anti-feminist” policies in the country, the BBC reported.

Introduced in 2009, the special parking spots were aimed to protect women following a spate of violent crimes in subterranean car parks. Other countries such as Austria also have such designated spots to promote safety.

Under the Korean rules, Seoul car parks with more than 30 spaces were required to allocate 10 percent to women. These spaces were usually located near building entrances so women wouldn’t have to walk through the garages alone.

But Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon – who first introduced the spaces – announced that he is reversing his own policy to “consider families.” He added that the spaces are not necessary anymore and will be converted to family parking spots.

They will now become available to pregnant women or those traveling with children. The changes are expected to begin next month, officials noted.

Still, even before the reversal, the designated spots had been controversial in South Korea with some men calling the program discriminatory.

Meanwhile, women’s rights groups criticized the policy reversal as part of a culture of anti-feminism that has characterized South Korean politics over the past few years.

South Korea’s current government has removed the term “gender equality” from its school ethics curriculum and is trying to close its gender equality ministry.