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East coast towns preparing for large crowds ahead of New Year rush

Published: 28 Dec. 2025, 14:18 Updated: 28 Dec. 2025, 17:26

Visitors are seen enjoying the sunrise at Jeongdongjin Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon on Dec. 21. [YONHAP]

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon — With 2026 marking the Year of the Red Horse, large crowds are expected at sunrise hot spots along Korea’s east coast.

The Gangwon branch of the Korea Expressway Corporation announced a special traffic management plan that will run from Wednesday to Jan. 4. During this period, the average daily traffic volume on expressways in the Gangwon region is projected to reach 261,000 vehicles, up 6.4 percent from 245,000 vehicles last year.

Seoul to Yangyang to take almost four hours

On Thursday, or the first day of 2026, the longest estimated travel times to the east coast are expected to be around three hours and 50 minutes from Seoul to Yangyang, and around four hours and 10 minutes to Gangneung.

In the other direction, traffic returning to Seoul is expected to peak that afternoon, with trips from Yangyang to Seoul estimated at five hours and 20 minutes, and from Gangneung to Seoul at about six hours.

Expressway officials will be stationed at scenic rest stops, including the Okgae and Donghae rest stops on the Donghae Expressway, between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. on Thursday to manage expected congestion.

Visitors are seen at Gyeongpo Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon on Dec. 28. [YONHAP]

Real-time updates on rest stop congestion will be displayed on variable message signs. Temporary restrooms will also be available at Daegwallyeong, Woljeong and Socho rest areas on the Incheon-bound direction of the Yeongdong Expressway.

“Please inspect your vehicles and prepare winter equipment before departure,” an official from the Gangwon branch of the Korea Expressway Corporation said. “In the event of an accident, both drivers and passengers should evacuate beyond the shoulder to a safe area before calling the Korea Expressway Corporation or their insurer to prevent secondary accidents.”

Trains are seen at Seoul Station in Yongsan District, central Seoul on Dec. 11. [YONHAP]

KTX to Gangneung sold out

Tickets for KTX trains from Seoul to Gangneung and beachside accommodations are quickly selling out. Most tickets on Wednesday from Seoul Station to Gangneung Station were sold out from early morning through late afternoon, according to Korail’s online booking site.

Skybay Hotel Gyeongpo in Gangneung, located by the beach where sunrise and sunset events are held, had a reservation rate of over 90 percent. Reservations were also fully booked at Sol Beach Samcheok, with 700 rooms, and Sol Beach Yangyang, with 500 rooms.

In response to the expected crowds, local governments along the east coast — including Gangneung, Sokcho, Donghae and Samcheok — have prepared comprehensive safety management plans covering event operations, crowd control, facility inspections and traffic measures.

Gangneung is expecting around 250,000 visitors during the sunrise period and will operate two event headquarters in the Gyeongpo and Jeongdongjin areas. Riskier tourist spots, such as the Badabuchae-gil trail, will be closed during sunrise hours.

A red sunrise is seen over Gyeongpo Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon on Jan. 1. [YONHAP]

Sokcho will set up two shelters at the event site to guard against the cold and deploy 47 safety personnel. Hot packs will be distributed on site.

Donghae will welcome sunrise watchers at Mangsang and Chuam Beaches. A New Year’s prayer ritual will take place near Chotdaebawi Rock, known for appearing in the opening verse of the national anthem.

Samcheok City will host a “2026 Samcheok Beach Countdown” concert with popular artists and a drone light show at a special stage on Samcheok Beach on Wednesday.

The Donghae Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries will open the lighthouses at Mukho, Jumunjin and Sokcho from 6 a.m. on Thursday, instead of the usual 9 a.m.

A red sunrise is seen over Gyeongpo Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon on Jan. 1. [YONHAP]

Jeongdongjin sunrise at 7:39 a.m.

The central government has also launched a pre-emptive response to anticipated crowds. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has designated the period through Jan. 4 as a “special crowd management period for year-end and New Year’s events,” and issued a Level 1 advisory alert.

Gyeongpo Pavilion in Gangneung, where more than 20,000 people are expected to gather at once, has been designated a key management area.

Police are also ramping up security for the holiday period. The Gangwon Provincial Police Agency will conduct “special holiday patrols” through Jan. 4, with heightened traffic control and enforcement near sunrise and sunset event sites.

The first sunrise of 2026 is expected to be visible at 7:26 a.m. from Dokdo.

Other estimated sunrise times include 7:39 a.m. in Jeongdongjin, Gangneung; 7:32 a.m. at Homigot in Pohang and Haeundae Beach in Busan; and 7:36 a.m. at Seongsan Ilchulbong in Jeju. These times are calculated based on sea level, and higher elevations may experience slightly earlier sunrises.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK JIN-HO [[email protected]]