South Korean expressways experienced widespread traffic congestion on Friday as travelers began the Constitution Day holiday [1].

These delays highlight the significant impact of national holidays on the country's transport infrastructure, as a surge in travel demand often overwhelms major arterial roads.

Traffic was particularly heavy on the Gyeongbu Expressway in the Busan direction. As of 10:30 a.m. [5], a segment of the highway spanning 42 km was congested [3]. Reports indicated severe backups near the Guseong overpass in Cheonan, Chungnam, where vehicles were unable to maintain normal speeds [2].

Similar delays affected the West Coast Expressway, which saw 20 km of congestion [4]. The most severe stretch of this jam extended for 10 km starting from the Seopyeongtaek junction [5].

An anchor for YTN News said that vehicles flocked to highways across the country on the first day of the holiday, causing bottlenecks in multiple locations [1]. Reporter Lee Hyun-jung said that vehicles were tailgating and unable to reach their intended speeds on the Gyeongbu Expressway [2].

Authorities expect the current level of congestion to ease by the evening as the initial wave of holiday departures subsides [1].

“Vehicles flocked to highways across the country on the first day of the holiday, causing bottlenecks in multiple locations.”

The recurring nature of these traffic surges during national holidays underscores the continued reliance on private vehicles for long-distance travel in South Korea. Despite an extensive high-speed rail network, the concentration of traffic on the Gyeongbu and West Coast expressways suggests that road infrastructure remains the primary bottleneck during peak holiday migrations.