With this year's Chuseok holiday lasting only four days, a surge in travel is anticipated on specific dates, prompting special traffic measures nationwide.
The Southern Gyeonggi Police Agency announced on September 18 that it will implement a special traffic management period from September 17 to 27. According to the police, the average daily traffic volume during this year's Chuseok holiday is expected to reach 6.05 million vehicles, an 11.8% increase from last year's 5.41 million. In the metropolitan area, the daily average is projected to be 2.44 million, up 16.2% from last year.
According to Yonhap News, the heaviest traffic is expected on the morning of September 24, the day before Chuseok, for outbound travelers, and on the afternoon of September 25, Chuseok day, for those returning home. The Southern Gyeonggi Police Agency will deploy 715 personnel, including traffic and local police, along with 215 pieces of equipment such as patrol cars and drones to monitor traffic conditions on highways and connecting national roads. Drunk driving enforcement will also be conducted continuously during the holiday period.
Local governments are also implementing measures to secure parking spaces and improve traffic convenience.
According to Yonhap News, Jeonju City will open 42 paid public parking lots with a total of 3,544 spaces for free from September 24 to 27. However, the public parking lots in Hanok Village and those at Ogeori, Samcheon 2-dong, and Deokjin Plaza will be excluded due to expected congestion. Jeonju City will utilize CCTV from the traffic information center to monitor real-time traffic conditions and will station personnel at key congested areas such as Hanok Village.
The Jeonbuk Education Office will also open parking lots at 739 educational institutions, including 705 schools in the province, for free during the Chuseok holiday to assist travelers and residents. Details on opening hours can be found on the Jeonbuk Education Office website.
Some regions are also alleviating toll burdens. According to Yonhap News, Gyeongnam Province will waive tolls on three privately operated expressways, including the Geoga Bridge, Machang Bridge, and the road between Changwon and Busan (Bulmosan Tunnel), from midnight on September 24 to midnight on September 27. Approximately 660,000 vehicles are expected to benefit from this. The tolls for passenger cars are 10,000 won for the Geoga Bridge, 2,500 won for the Machang Bridge, and 1,100 won for the Changwon-Busan road. The Pallyong Tunnel and the Jigae-Namsan road, managed by Changwon City, will also be free during the same period.
Given the expected concentration of vehicle movement during the short holiday, it is advisable to check real-time traffic information and the availability of free parking before departure.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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