Seoul-to-Busan drive hits 8 hours 40 minutes on Chuseok as highway congestion builds

Highways across the country were snarled Friday morning as travelers headed home or returned to the city for Chuseok.

As of 9 a.m., the Korea Expressway Corporation estimated the following travel times from the Seoul tollgate to major cities: 8 hours 40 minutes to Busan, 8 hours 20 minutes to Ulsan, 7 hours 40 minutes to Daegu, 6 hours 40 minutes to Mokpo, 6 hours 10 minutes to Gwangju, 4 hours 10 minutes to Gangneung and 3 hours 50 minutes to Daejeon.

In the opposite direction, estimated travel times back to Seoul were 7 hours 50 minutes from Busan, 7 hours 30 minutes from Ulsan, 7 hours from Mokpo, 6 hours 50 minutes each from Daegu and Gwangju, 3 hours 30 minutes from Gangneung and 3 hours from Daejeon.

The corporation said outbound congestion, which began Thursday, was expected to peak between 1 and 2 p.m. Friday and clear up by 7 to 8 p.m.

Return traffic heading toward Seoul was forecast to be heaviest between 3 and 5 p.m., with congestion expected to ease by 2 to 3 a.m. Saturday.

Total nationwide traffic volume was projected at approximately 6.84 million vehicles for the day. The corporation estimated that about 470,000 vehicles would travel from the Greater Seoul area to regional cities, while about 460,000 would make the trip in the opposite direction.