South Korea sees heavy holiday travel and highway congestion during Chuseok

South Korea experienced significant travel activity and traffic congestion during the Chuseok holiday period. As citizens began returning to major cities, major highways toward Seoul saw heavy congestion. According to the Korea Expressway Corporation, travel times from cities like Busan to Seoul reached up to 7 hours and 50 minutes during peak congestion periods.

In regional hubs, transport centers such as Dongdaegu Station, Gwangju Songjeong Station, and Daegu International Airport were crowded with travelers. While highways faced delays, many travelers reported relatively smooth conditions on certain routes compared to previous years.

In the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, approximately 2.89 million people traveled during the four-day holiday. Authorities reported that the period concluded without major accidents, despite managing nearly 300,000 visitors to local cemeteries and maintaining emergency medical services.

Socially, the holiday also saw discussions among families regarding economic topics, specifically investments in stocks and real estate, reflecting current domestic economic concerns.