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Chuseok traffic slows expressways to a crawl as millions hit roads for holiday weekend

Published: 04 Oct. 2025, 10:44 Updated: 04 Oct. 2025, 13:02

Traffic is seen on the Gyeongbu Expressway in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Oct. 3, the first day of the Chuseok holiday. [NEWS1]

Severe traffic congestion gripped expressways nationwide on Saturday, the second day of the Chuseok holiday, as millions of people hit the road to visit their hometowns.

The Korea Expressway Corporation said that as of 8 a.m., estimated travel times from the Seoul tollgate to major cities were 5 hours and 10 minutes to Busan; 4 hours and 37 minutes to Ulsan; 4 hours and 31 minutes to Mokpo in South Jeolla; 4 hours and 10 minutes to Gwangju; 3 hours and 53 minutes to Daegu; hours and 20 minutes to Gangneung in Gangwon; and 2 hours and 10 minutes to Daejeon.

Traveling from major cities to Seoul was expected to take 5 hours from Ulsan; 4 hours and 30 minutes from Busan; 4 hours and 10 minutes from Daegu; 3 hours and 50 minutes from Mokpo; 3 hours and 20 minutes from Gwangju; 2 hours and 40 minutes from Gangneung; and 1 hour and 30 minutes from Daejeon.

Congestion was especially severe on the Gyeongbu Expressway heading to Busan, with vehicles crawling along a 7-kilometer (4.34-mile) section between Osan and Namsa and a 54-kilometer stretch from near Ipjang to the Cheongju Junction.

On the Seohaean Expressway heading toward Mokpo, traffic slowed to a stop-and-go pace across a 7-kilometer stretch near Hwaseong and a 15-kilometer segment from the Seopyeongtaek Junction to the Seohae Bridge.

Additional bottlenecks were reported on other major routes. On the Jungbu Naeryuk Expressway toward Changwon, traffic was backed up for 11 kilometers between Yeoju Junction and Gamgok. On the Jungbu Expressway, a 9-kilometer section from Seocheongju to the Nami Junction saw heavy congestion. On the Yeongdong Expressway toward Gangneung, traffic was slow across an 8-kilometer stretch between Maseong Tunnel and Yangji Tunnel.

The Korea Expressway Corporation estimated that some 5.37 million vehicles would be on the road throughout the day. Around 480,000 vehicles were expected to travel from the Seoul metropolitan area to the provinces, while 470,000 were forecast to return northbound — making southbound traffic heavier than a typical Saturday.

Congestion for southbound travelers began between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. and is expected to peak between noon and 1 p.m. and ease around 8 to 9 p.m. Northbound traffic started around 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and is expected to be most severe between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., with conditions likely to improve between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.

BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]