Homecoming Traffic Builds on First Day of Chuseok Holiday... Seoul to Busan Takes 9 Hours 30 Minutes

[Financial News] Congestion continued on highways across the country on the morning of Sept. 24, the first day of the Chuseok holiday, as vehicles heading to their hometowns flooded the roads.
According to the Korea Expressway Corporation, as of 9 a.m. today, estimated travel times from Seoul Tollgate to major cities were 9 hours 30 minutes to Busan, 9 hours 20 minutes to Mokpo, 9 hours 10 minutes to Ulsan, 8 hours 30 minutes each to Daegu and Gwangju, 7 hours to Gangneung, and 5 hours 20 minutes to Daejeon.
In the opposite direction, estimated travel times from each city to Seoul were 6 hours 30 minutes from Busan, 6 hours 10 minutes from Ulsan, 5 hours 30 minutes from Daegu, 4 hours 10 minutes from Gwangju, 3 hours 40 minutes from Mokpo, 2 hours 40 minutes from Gangneung, and 2 hours 20 minutes from Daejeon.
On the Busan-bound Gyeongbu Expressway, traffic was moving slowly along the 3-kilometer stretch from near Singal Junction to Suwon, the 90-kilometer stretch from near Giheung Service Area to Nami Junction, and the 24-kilometer stretch from near Namcheongju to Biryong Junction.
The Nami-bound Jungbu Expressway was also congested on the 22-kilometer stretch from Hanam Junction to near Gyeonggi Gwangju Junction. Congestion was additionally reported on the 4-kilometer stretch from Icheon Service Area to Hobeop Junction, the 8-kilometer stretch from Hobeop Junction to near Nami Icheon IC, the 5-kilometer stretch from Iljuk to near Samseong Hi-Pass IC, the 18-kilometer stretch from near Daeso Junction to near Jincheon Tunnel, and the 14-kilometer stretch from near Ochang to Nami Junction.
The Korea Expressway Corporation expects the homecoming traffic congestion that began the previous day to peak between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. today before easing around 8–9 p.m. Traffic heading back to Seoul is expected to begin building around 8–9 a.m., peak between noon and 1 p.m., and ease around 6–7 p.m.
Nationwide highway traffic is expected to total approximately 6.16 million vehicles today. The Korea Expressway Corporation forecasts that 510,000 vehicles will travel from the Seoul metropolitan area to regional areas, while 380,000 will travel in the opposite direction.
Meanwhile, this year's homecoming period lasts only two days—the weekday of Sept. 23 and the first day of the holiday on Sept. 24—making it shorter than last year's four-day period.
Return traffic is expected to be heaviest on Chuseok Day, Sept. 25. Congestion is expected on the Daejeon IC–Hoedeok JCT and Cheonan JCT–Cheonan IC sections of the Gyeongbu Expressway; the Dangjin JCT–Poseung JCT section of the Seohaean Expressway; the Seosejong IC–Magoksa IC section of the Dangjin–Daejeon Expressway; the Seobuyeo IC–Buyeo IC section of the Seocheon–Gongju Expressway; and the Seodaejeon IC–Yuseong IC and Bukdaejeon IC–Hoedeok JCT sections of the Honam Expressway Branch.
The Korea Expressway Corporation has designated the five-day period from Sept. 23 to 27 as the special Chuseok transportation measures period and will work to manage traffic congestion and ensure safety. It plans to increase road capacity by securing shoulder lanes and temporary shoulders for small vehicles.
A Korea Expressway Corporation official urged drivers, "Check traffic information, including congestion and travel times, before departing. If you feel drowsy while driving, take a break at a service area or a rest area for drowsy drivers."

[email protected] Jang Yu-ha Reporter