Seoul-Busan 4 Hours 40 Minutes Travel Time "Congestion Expected to Clear Around 7-8 AM"

Traffic Congestion on the First Day of Seollal Holiday Homebound Journey Gradually Eases

On the 28th, one day before the Lunar New Year holiday, vehicles heading home are congested on the Gyeongbu Expressway toward Busan (left southbound lane) near Singal JC in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi Province, as seen from a police helicopter inspecting the homecoming traffic. (Aerial photography cooperation = Sergeant Mun Heung-ju and Inspector Shim Dong-guk, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency) / Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] On the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday, the afternoon of the 29th, traffic congestion on major highways nationwide heading toward hometowns is gradually easing.

According to Korea Expressway Corporation, as of 5 p.m. that day, the travel time from Seoul Tollgate to major cities nationwide is 4 hours 40 minutes to Busan, 3 hours 40 minutes to Gwangju, 4 hours 30 minutes to Ulsan, 3 hours 50 minutes to Daegu, 2 hours 10 minutes to Daejeon, and 2 hours 40 minutes to Gangneung.

The congestion on the way home is expected to clear between 7 and 8 p.m. that day.

As of 4:20 p.m., on the Gyeongbu Expressway heading toward Busan, vehicles are moving slowly in the following sections: 4 km near Hannam to Seocho, 3 km near Singal Junction to Suwon, 3 km near Namsa, 17 km from Oksan Junction to Nami Junction, and 4 km from Daejeon to Biryong Junction.

On the Seohaean Expressway heading toward Mokpo, congestion is occurring in the 9 km section near Seopyeongtaek Junction to Seohae Bridge and the 4 km section near Seosan to Haemi.

On the Jungbu Expressway heading toward Nami, vehicles are moving slowly in the 9 km section near Seocheongju to Nami Junction.

On the Capital Region 1st Ring Expressway (Seoul Outer Ring Expressway) heading toward Guri, speeds are slow in the 1 km section of Jayuro and the 6 km section from Seowoon Junction to Songnae.

The total nationwide traffic volume that day is 4.76 million vehicles. It is expected that 450,000 vehicles will move from the metropolitan area to local areas, and 370,000 vehicles will move from local areas to the metropolitan area.