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Today (18th), the first day of the Chuseok holiday, major highways across the country are starting to become congested little by little as the number of vehicles returning home increases. This holiday, as it is urgent to prevent the spread of Corona 19, which is concentrated in the metropolitan area, from spreading nationwide, eating and drinking as well as using seats are completely prohibited at all highway rest areas, and tolls will be charged normally.
Correspondent Kim Ki-tae.
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From the morning of the first day of the Chuseok holiday, traffic congestion began in various parts of the nation's highways.
The 2km section of the Gyeongbu Expressway stopped near the Singal Junction in the Busan direction, and the flow of vehicles around the Dongtan Junction and Cheonan Junction slowed noticeably.
The Mokpo direction of the Seohaean Expressway is experiencing congestion in the 8km section between Seopyeongtaek and Seohaedaegyo Bridge, and the Gangneung direction of the Yeongdong Expressway also has an increased number of vehicles near the Yeoju Junction.
As of 7:00 am, the Korea Expressway Corporation predicted that it would take 4 hours 50 minutes from Seoul to Busan, 3 hours 50 minutes to Gwangju, and 2 hours 40 minutes to Gangneung.
The Road Corporation estimates the nationwide traffic volume of 4.77 million today, which is more congested than usual on Saturdays and is expected to peak around noon.
It is expected that the highway homecoming road will be the busiest on the morning of the 20th, one day before Chuseok, and the return road on the afternoon of the 21st, the day of Chuseok.
The government has designated the 22nd until the end of this Chuseok holiday as a special transportation measure period to strengthen quarantine.
Seating is prohibited at indoor stores at all highway service areas managed by the Korea Expressway Corporation, and you can receive a diagnostic test while traveling at 9 service areas including Anseong, Icheon, and Hwaseong.