South Korea is experiencing significant traffic congestion as travelers embark on journeys for the Lunar Fresh Year holiday. As of 8 a.m. On Saturday, February 15, 2026, the drive from Seoul to Busan is expected to take six hours and 10 minutes, according to the Korea Road Corporation.
The surge in travel is creating delays on major highways across the country. Travel times to other major cities from Seoul are too considerably extended: Ulshan is a five hour and 50 minute drive, while trips to Mokpo, Daegu and Gwangju are estimated at five hours and 10 minutes, five hours and 10 minutes, and four hours and 40 minutes respectively. Reaching Gangneung is expected to take three hours and 10 minutes, and Daejeon two hours and 20 minutes.
Those traveling from major cities back to Seoul also face lengthy commutes. The trip from Busan is estimated at five hours and 10 minutes, Ulshan at four hours and 50 minutes, and Mokpo at three hours and 40 minutes. Daegu to Seoul is expected to take four hours and 10 minutes, Gwangju three hours and 20 minutes, Gangneung two hours and 40 minutes, and Daejeon one hour and 31 minutes.
Specific sections of the Gyeongbu Expressway heading towards Busan are heavily congested, including a three-kilometer stretch near Namsa to Anseong Junction, and 14 kilometers from Ipjang to Cheonan. Additional delays are reported between Cheonan Junction and the Cheonan Hodu rest stop (12 kilometers), and from Oksan Junction to Cheongju Junction (16 kilometers). The Chungbu Inland Expressway, heading towards Changwon, is also experiencing slowdowns between Yeoju Junction and Gamgok (10 kilometers), and between Yeonpung and Mungyeong Saejae Tunnel (4 kilometers).
Authorities anticipate Saturday will be the peak day for outbound travel during the holiday period, with the heaviest congestion expected between noon and 1 p.m. Traffic is predicted to ease between 8 p.m. And 9 p.m. Return traffic is expected to begin building in the morning, peaking between 4 p.m. And 5 p.m., and subsiding by the evening. Approximately five million vehicles are expected to be on the roads nationwide throughout the day.
The Korea Road Corporation has announced that highway tolls will be waived from February 15 to February 18, which is expected to further increase traffic volume. This year, roughly one in three people are planning to travel during the Lunar New Year holiday, contributing to an estimated 27.8 million travelers on the move.
