Traffic Congestion on the First Day of Chuseok Holiday Return Trips... Seoul to Busan Takes 9 Hours 10 Minutes

Road Congestion Peaks from 11 AM to 12 PM
Traffic Expected to Ease Around 8 to 9 PM

On the morning of the first day of the Chuseok holiday, the 28th, the homecoming traffic has officially begun, causing congestion on highways across the country.

On the 27th, two days before Chuseok, the nation's biggest holiday, vehicles carrying returning holidaymakers are moving on the Seohaean Expressway as seen from the air. [Aerial photography cooperation=Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Aviation Unit, Pilots: Inspector Shin Seung-ho - Inspector Park Ji-hwan, Crew: Inspector Park Sang-jin] Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

According to the Korea Expressway Corporation, as of 9 a.m. that day, the estimated travel times by passenger car from Seoul Tollgate to major cities nationwide are 9 hours 10 minutes to Busan, 8 hours 47 minutes to Ulsan, 8 hours 7 minutes to Daegu, 8 hours to Gwangju, 9 hours 20 minutes to Mokpo, 6 hours to Gangneung, and 5 hours 10 minutes to Daejeon.

On the Gyeongbu Expressway heading toward Busan, traffic is slow in sections including Jukjeon to Namsa (28 km), Anseong Junction to Anseong (5 km), Anseong to Nami Junction (60 km), Cheongju Junction to Jukam Rest Area (7 km), and near Hoedeok Junction to Biryong Junction (12 km).

On the Seohaean Expressway heading toward Mokpo, vehicle movement is delayed near the Sunsan Tunnel to Seohae Bridge (43 km), Dangjin Junction to Seosan Rest Area (17 km), Haemi to Hongseong (7 km), and near Dongseocheon Junction to near Gunsan Rest Area.

On the Jungbu Expressway heading toward Nami, congestion is occurring in sections including Hanam Junction to Gyeonggi Gwangju Junction area, Hobup Junction to Namicheon IC area (9 km), near Jincheon to near Jincheon Tunnel (6 km), and Ochang Rest Area to Nami Junction (18 km).

On the Yeongdong Expressway heading toward Gangneung, traffic is congested near Banwol Tunnel to Dundae Junction (3 km), Dong Suwon to Yongin (15 km), Yongin to near Yangji Tunnel, near Icheon to near Yeoju (11 km), near Manjong Junction, and near Wonju.

The nationwide traffic volume for the day was forecasted at 5.69 million vehicles. Of these, 510,000 vehicles are expected to move from the metropolitan area to local regions, and 390,000 vehicles from local regions to the metropolitan area. The congestion in the homecoming direction on the day before Chuseok is expected to be the worst during the holiday period. The Expressway Corporation predicted that road congestion will peak between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m., then ease around 8 to 9 p.m.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.