Hangeul Day holiday slows Korean expressways; Seoul to Busan takes 7 hours 40 minutes
In short
Expressways across South Korea were congested on the morning of October 9, Hangeul Day and the first day of a three-day holiday, as people set out on trips. As of 9 a.m., the Korea Expressway Corporation estimated driving times from the Seoul tollgate of 7 hours 40 minutes to Busan and 3 hours 50 minutes to Daejeon. The corporation expected 5.62 million vehicles on the move nationwide that day.
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Traffic built up on expressways across South Korea on the morning of October 9, Hangeul Day and the first day of a three-day holiday, as vehicles headed out on outings, Yonhap and other outlets reported. According to the Korea Expressway Corporation, as of 9 a.m. the estimated driving time from the Seoul tollgate was 7 hours 40 minutes to Busan, 7 hours 20 minutes to Ulsan, 6 hours 40 minutes to Daegu, 6 hours 20 minutes to Mokpo, 5 hours 30 minutes to Gwangju, 4 hours 50 minutes to Gangneung and 3 hours 50 minutes to Daejeon. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
In the other direction, the estimated times to Seoul were 5 hours 50 minutes from Busan, 5 hours 30 minutes from Ulsan, 4 hours 50 minutes from Daegu, 3 hours 50 minutes from Mokpo, 3 hours 40 minutes from Gwangju and 2 hours from Daejeon. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
On the Gyeongbu Expressway, Busan-bound traffic was congested on a 12 km stretch from near the Gyeongbu Dongtan Tunnel to near Namsa and a 25 km stretch from Bukcheonan to near the Cheonan Hodu rest area. On the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway, Yangyang-bound vehicles were moving slowly between Deokso-Sampae and Seojong over 17 km and between the Dongsan tollgate and Dongsan 1 Tunnel over 8 km. Mokpo-bound traffic on the Seohaean (West Coast) Expressway was congested between Maesong and Balan over 16 km and between the Seopyeongtaek junction and Seohae Bridge over 11 km. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The corporation expected 5.62 million vehicles to travel nationwide that day, with about 440,000 heading from the capital region to the provinces and 410,000 from the provinces to the capital region. Hankook Ilbo described the 5.62 million figure as nationwide expressway traffic. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Congestion toward the provinces was expected to begin around 6 to 7 a.m., be heaviest between 10 a.m. and noon and clear around 7 to 8 p.m. Seoul-bound traffic was expected to slow from around 9 to 10 a.m., be heaviest around 6 to 7 p.m. and clear around 9 to 10 p.m., the corporation said. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Unlike the expressways, main roads inside Seoul were flowing smoothly. According to the Seoul city traffic information system, no congestion had been seen on Olympic-daero, Gangbyeonbuk-ro, Naebusunhwan-ro (내부순환로), the Dongbu and Seobu arterial roads or Gangnamsunhwan-ro (강남순환로). [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The Korea Expressway Corporation expected congestion in both directions to last into the evening, with traffic toward the provinces peaking late in the morning and Seoul-bound traffic peaking around 6 to 7 p.m. The estimates give drivers a guide to when roads are likely to be busiest on the first day of the holiday.
Key facts
- October 9 is Hangeul Day and the first day of a three-day holiday. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- As of 9 a.m., estimated driving times from the Seoul tollgate were 7 hours 40 minutes to Busan, 7 hours 20 minutes to Ulsan, 6 hours 40 minutes to Daegu, 6 hours 20 minutes to Mokpo, 5 hours 30 minutes to Gwangju, 4 hours 50 minutes to Gangneung and 3 hours 50 minutes to Daejeon. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Estimated times to Seoul were 5 hours 50 minutes from Busan, 5 hours 30 minutes from Ulsan, 4 hours 50 minutes from Daegu, 3 hours 50 minutes from Mokpo, 3 hours 40 minutes from Gwangju and 2 hours from Daejeon. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The Korea Expressway Corporation expected 5.62 million vehicles to travel nationwide that day. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- About 440,000 vehicles were expected to travel from the capital region to the provinces and 410,000 in the other direction. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Congestion toward the provinces was expected to be heaviest between 10 a.m. and noon and to clear around 7 to 8 p.m.; Seoul-bound congestion was expected to peak around 6 to 7 p.m. and clear around 9 to 10 p.m. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Main roads inside Seoul had no significant congestion on the morning of October 9, according to the Seoul city traffic information system. [ 1 , 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- As of 9 a.m. on October 9, the estimated driving time from the Seoul tollgate to Busan was 7 hours 40 minutes. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Busan-bound traffic on the Gyeongbu Expressway was congested on a 12 km stretch from near the Gyeongbu Dongtan Tunnel to near Namsa and a 25 km stretch from Bukcheonan to near the Cheonan Hodu rest area. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The Korea Expressway Corporation expected 5.62 million vehicles to travel nationwide on October 9. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- About 440,000 vehicles were expected to head from the capital region to the provinces and 410,000 from the provinces to the capital region. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Main roads inside Seoul were flowing without significant congestion on the morning of October 9. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- How the day's traffic compared with the forecasts. The documents were published in the morning and give only expected peak and clearing times.
- Whether the 5.62 million figure covers expressways only. Hankook Ilbo describes it as nationwide expressway traffic, while Yonhap and Korea Economic Daily say vehicles moving nationwide.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Congestion toward the provinces was expected to begin around 6 to 7 a.m., the Korea Expressway Corporation said. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The Korea Expressway Corporation estimated 7 hours 40 minutes from the Seoul tollgate to Busan; Seoul-bound congestion was expected to start around 9 to 10 a.m. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Congestion toward the provinces was expected to be heaviest between 10 a.m. and noon. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Seoul-bound congestion was expected to be heaviest around 6 to 7 p.m. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Congestion toward the provinces was expected to clear around 7 to 8 p.m. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Seoul-bound congestion was expected to clear around 9 to 10 p.m. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]