On the first day of the Chuseok holiday, traffic congestion is building on highways as families head home.
According to Yonhap News and the Korea Expressway Corporation, an estimated 6.16 million vehicles are expected to travel nationwide, with 510,000 heading from the capital region to provincial areas and 380,000 making the reverse trip.
As of 2 p.m., the expected travel times from the Seoul tollgate to major cities are as follows: Busan, 6 hours and 40 minutes; Ulsan, 6 hours and 20 minutes; Mokpo, 5 hours and 50 minutes; Daegu, 5 hours and 40 minutes; Gwangju, 5 hours and 30 minutes; Gangneung, 4 hours and 40 minutes; and Daejeon, 3 hours and 10 minutes.
Conversely, travel times from these cities back to Seoul are estimated at: Busan, 5 hours; Ulsan, 4 hours and 40 minutes; Mokpo, 3 hours and 49 minutes; Daegu, 4 hours; Gwangju, 3 hours and 20 minutes; Gangneung, 3 hours and 10 minutes; and Daejeon, 2 hours and 10 minutes.
While travel times have decreased compared to the morning, significant congestion remains at key junctions.
On the Gyeongbu Expressway heading toward Busan, slow traffic is reported in several areas, including an 11-kilometer stretch near Dongtan Junction to Namsa, a 27-kilometer stretch near Bukcheonan to Oksan Junction, a 21-kilometer stretch near Jukam Rest Area to Biryeong Junction, and a 15-kilometer stretch near Okcheon to Geumgang.
On the Seohaean Expressway toward Mokpo, congestion is noted in areas such as a 13-kilometer stretch near Bal-an to Seopyeongtaek, a 15-kilometer stretch near Gwangcheon to Daecheon, and a 13-kilometer stretch near Buan to Julpo.
The Korea Expressway Corporation forecasts that the congestion for those heading home will ease around 8 to 9 p.m., while the flow of traffic returning to the capital is expected to improve around 6 to 7 p.m.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han Seung-soo visited Seoul Station to encourage officials, stating, "This is the first holiday since the integration of high-speed rail services," and urged them to do their best to support travelers.
He added, "The dual operation of high-speed rail between Seoul and Suseo has caused seat shortages and booking difficulties for the public. With this integration, a significant number of additional seats will be supplied, and the reservation service will be greatly improved, leading to innovative changes."
Han also emphasized the need to maximize transportation capacity during the four-day Chuseok holiday to ensure smooth travel for the public and to prepare thoroughly for any emergency situations, urging careful management of train operations and crowd control at major stations to ensure safety.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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