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5 million vehicles expected to hit the road on last day of Lunar New Year holiday

Published: 18 Feb. 2026, 12:37

Vehicles take to the roads on the Gyeongbu Expressway heading toward Seoul on Feb. 17. [NEWS1

Traffic congestion continued on highways heading toward Seoul on Wednesday, the final day of the Lunar New Year holiday, as large numbers of vehicles returned to the capital. Traffic is expected to peak between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. before easing late at night.

About 4.85 million vehicles are expected to use highways nationwide on Wednesday, according to the Korea Expressway Corporation. Of those, 490,000 vehicles are projected to travel from regional areas to the greater Seoul area, while 350,000 are expected to head in the opposite direction.

Traffic toward rural hometowns generally remained smooth, while congestion was concentrated on routes bound for Seoul.

Seoul-bound congestion began between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Wednesday and gradually intensified. The Korea Expressway Corporation forecast that traffic would be heaviest between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., with most congestion expected to clear between 11 p.m. and midnight.

Based on departures from tollgates at 8 a.m., the estimated travel times to Seoul were five hours and 20 minutes from Busan, five hours from Ulsan, four hours and 20 minutes from Daegu, three hours and 50 minutes from Mokpo, three hours and 40 minutes from Gwangju, two hours and 40 minutes from Gangneung and two hours and 20 minutes from Daejeon.

Travel times from Seoul to regional cities were estimated at four hours and 30 minutes to Busan, four hours and 10 minutes to Ulsan, between three hours and 20 minutes and three hours and 30 minutes to Daegu, three hours and 20 minutes to Gwangju, three hours and 40 minutes to Mokpo, two hours and 40 minutes to Gangneung and about one hour and 30 minutes to Daejeon.

Travelers walk through Seoul Station in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Feb. 17. [NEWS1]

On the Gyeongbu Expressway heading toward Seoul, congestion was reported along an approximately two-kilometer (1.2-mile) stretch near the Oksan High Pass interchange due to increased traffic. Speeds were also reduced near the Anseong Junction in Gyeonggi as vehicles crowded the area.

On the Seohaean Expressway toward Seoul, vehicles were repeatedly stopping and moving along an approximately four-kilometer section between the Gunsan Service Area and the Dongseocheon Junction, as well as near the Dangjin Junction.

On the Jungbu Inland Expressway heading toward Yangpyeong, traffic was slow across several sections, including near Mungyeong Saejae to the Mungyeong 2 Tunnel, between the Mungyeong 2 Tunnel and the Mungyeong Saejae Tunnel and near the Seonsan Service Area to the Sangju Tunnel.

Vehicles packt the roads on the Gyeongbu Expressway heading toward Seoul on Feb. 17. [NEWS1

Traffic around the Yeoju Service Area and the Maseong Tunnel on the Yeongdong Expressway increased at certain hours, but the overall flow was relatively smooth except for some sections.

“Traffic conditions in the morning are better than the previous day, but congestion will increase in the afternoon as more vehicles head back to Seoul,” said an official from the Korea Expressway Corporation. “Please check real-time traffic information and use detours when possible.”

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 BAE JAE-SUNG [[email protected]]