South Korea highways face heavy congestion during Chuseok holiday

South Korean highways experienced heavy congestion during the Chuseok holiday as millions of travelers moved between the capital and provincial regions. According to the Korea Expressway Corp, an estimated 6.84 million vehicles traveled nationwide on the peak day of the holiday.

Travel times were significantly extended due to the high volume of commuters. For example, trips from Seoul to Busan were estimated to take approximately 8 hours and 40 minutes, while travel from Busan back to Seoul was expected to take around 7 hours and 50 minutes. Other major routes, such as Seoul to Mokpo and Gwangju, also saw substantial delays.

Traffic patterns showed that outbound congestion typically peaked in the early afternoon, while inbound traffic toward the Seoul metropolitan area reached its height in the late afternoon. Authorities noted that while some congestion eased in the late evening, heavy volumes continued to impact major expressways including the Gyeongbu and Seohaean lines.