Heavy traffic congestion struck major South Korean highways this Sunday as travelers returned to Seoul during the summer vacation season [1].
The surge in vehicle volume highlights the seasonal pressure on the nation's primary transport arteries, causing significant delays for thousands of commuters and holidaymakers.
On the Gyeongbu Expressway, the congestion toward Seoul reached 112 km [1]. The jam affected key areas including the Seoul tollgate, and the Yangjae interchange [1]. In contrast, traffic moving away from the capital toward the provinces on the same expressway was less severe, with a jam of approximately 16 km [1].
Other major routes also experienced significant delays. The Seoul-Yangyang Expressway saw a 29 km traffic jam for vehicles traveling toward Seoul, specifically impacting the Seojong interchange [1]. Despite the congestion heading into the city, roads leading toward Gangwon province remained generally clear [1].
"As we enter the peak summer vacation season, highways are more crowded than usual," an unnamed anchor for YTN said [1].
Reporter Song Su-hyun said that the congestion toward Seoul on the Gyeongbu Expressway reached 112 km while the provincial direction saw about 16 km of delays [1]. Song also said that while the route toward Seoul on the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway reached 29 km, traffic toward Gangwon province was flowing smoothly [1].
The concentration of traffic toward the capital suggests a mass return of travelers from regional areas following holiday excursions. This pattern is typical for the summer peak, though the scale of the Gyeongbu Expressway delay underscores the intensity of this year's travel volume [1].
“Congestion toward Seoul reached 112 km on the Gyeongbu Expressway.”
The extreme disparity between inbound and outbound traffic—112 km toward Seoul versus 16 km toward the provinces—indicates a synchronized return of vacationers. This seasonal bottleneck on the Gyeongbu and Seoul-Yangyang Expressways reflects the ongoing challenge of managing concentrated urban migration in South Korea's highly centralized transport infrastructure.
