Holiday Weekend Sees Surge in Traffic, Long Delays Expected

The holiday weekend has kicked off with a surge in traffic, as many South Koreans take advantage of the extended break to travel.

Major expressways are already seeing heavy congestion, with significant delays expected throughout the day. The Korea Expressway Corporation anticipates 5.81 million vehicles on the road, with traffic flowing out of the Seoul metropolitan area and into provincial areas peaking between 11 a.m. and noon.

Travelers heading to popular destinations like Busan can expect journeys of up to 7 hours and 10 minutes. Those returning to Seoul will also face considerable delays, with northbound traffic expected to be most congested between 5 and 6 p.m.

This surge in traffic highlights the strong desire for domestic travel during holiday periods, even with the inconvenience of long delays. The situation is a familiar one for many Koreans, who often plan their trips around these extended weekends, accepting the traffic as part of the experience.