Return traffic jams South Korea's expressways as three-day holiday ends

In short

Return traffic built up on South Korea's expressways on 5 October, the last day of a three-day holiday and a substitute holiday for National Foundation Day, the Korea Expressway Corporation said. At 9 a.m. the trip from Busan to the Seoul tollgate was estimated at 5 hours 10 minutes, and the corporation expected it to reach 5 hours 40 minutes from noon, with congestion peaking between 4 and 5 p.m. and clearing between 10 and 11 p.m. About 5.09 million vehicles were expected on the roads, with 410,000 heading into the capital region and 390,000 leaving it.

Why it matters

The figures come from the state-run Korea Expressway Corporation and set expectations for one of the country's heavier travel days, when return journeys to the capital region concentrate on a single afternoon. The corporation's forecasts give drivers a timetable — congestion building from late morning, peaking in the late afternoon and easing late at night — and show the outbound direction to the provinces remaining largely clear. Seoul city roads were reported to be flowing normally, limiting the disruption to intercity expressways.

Key facts

• 5 October was the final day of a three-day holiday and a substitute holiday for National Foundation Day, with return traffic starting on expressways nationwide. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
• As of 9 a.m., the Korea Expressway Corporation estimated travel times to the Seoul tollgate of 5 hours 10 minutes from Busan, 4 hours 50 minutes from Ulsan, 4 hours 10 minutes from Mokpo and Daegu, 3 hours 30 minutes from Gwangju, 2 hours 40 minutes from Gangneung and 1 hour 40 minutes from Daejeon. [ 2 , 3 ]
• The Busan–Seoul trip was expected to lengthen to 5 hours 40 minutes from noon. [ 2 , 3 ]
• The corporation forecast congestion that began in earnest around 10–11 a.m. would peak between 4 and 5 p.m. and clear between 10 and 11 p.m. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
• National expressway traffic was expected to reach 5.09 million vehicles, with 390,000 travelling from the capital region to the provinces and 410,000 from the provinces into the capital region. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
• The Yeongdong and Seoul–Yangyang expressways were expected to be the busiest, according to Dong-A Ilbo's account of the corporation's data. [ 5 ]
• Seoul's traffic information system showed no congestion on cross-city roads including Olympic-daero, Gangbyeonbuk-ro, the Naebu ring road, the east–west trunk roads and the Gangnam ring road. [ 2 , 3 ]
• Dong-A Ilbo's 10 a.m. tollgate estimates listed Busan–Seoul at 5 hours 40 minutes, Ulsan–Seoul at 5 hours 20 minutes, Daegu–Seoul at 4 hours 40 minutes, Gwangju–Seoul and Gangneung–Seoul at 3 hours 30 minutes and Daejeon–Seoul at 2 hours. [ 5 ]

What local media are saying

Timeline, local time

1. 01:37Kukmin Ilbo publishes an item headlined with a Busan–Seoul travel time of 5 hours 40 minutes. [ 1 ]
2. 09:00Yonhap reports that return traffic has begun; the Korea Expressway Corporation estimates Busan–Seoul at 5 hours 10 minutes as of 9 a.m. [ 2 ]
3. 09:10Dong-A Ilbo reports that major expressways including Gyeongbu, Seohaean, Seoul–Yangyang, Jungbu and Yeongdong are largely flowing. [ 5 ]
4. 09:16Asia Economy reports the same 9 a.m. journey times and a national traffic volume of 5.09 million vehicles for the day. [ 3 ]
5. 09:20Newsis publishes its report on congestion on Seoul-bound expressways, later updated at 9:40 a.m. [ 4 ]
6. 10:00Dong-A Ilbo's 10 a.m. tollgate estimates put Busan–Seoul at 5 hours 40 minutes and Ulsan–Seoul at 5 hours 20 minutes. [ 5 ]
7. 10:00Congestion is expected to begin in earnest between 10 and 11 a.m., according to the Korea Expressway Corporation's forecast. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
8. 12:00The Busan–Seoul journey time is expected to lengthen to 5 hours 40 minutes. [ 2 , 3 ]
9. 16:00Congestion is forecast to reach its peak between 4 and 5 p.m. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
10. 16:20Yonhap reports that the return procession is continuing on expressways nationwide, headlining a Busan–Seoul time of 5 hours. [ 6 ]
11. 22:00Congestion is expected to be cleared between 10 and 11 p.m. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]