South Korea Traffic: Chuseok Holiday Highway Congestion
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Published: 03 Oct. 2025, 15:05
![South-bound lanes on Gyeongbu Expressway is seen congested near Jamwon interchange in southern Seoul on oct.3, the first day of Chuseok holiday. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/10/03/ffa5f99e-066c-44aa-bea2-3e30b5d19102.jpg "South Korea Traffic: Chuseok Holiday Highway Congestion")
South-bound lanes on Gyeongbu Expressway is seen congested near Jamwon Interchange in southern Seoul on Oct.3, the first day of Chuseok holiday. [NEWS1]
Chuseok Holiday Traffic Congestion in Korea – October 3, 2025
Table of Contents
Sections of expressways across Korea were heavily jammed friday as people headed to their hometowns for family reunions on the first day of the extended Chuseok holiday.
This year’s holiday runs from Friday through next Thursday, as Chuseok, the korean Thanksgiving, falls on Sunday. The extended break is encouraging more travel than in recent years.
What is Chuseok?
chuseok (추석), also known as Korean Thanksgiving, is a major harvest festival and a three-day holiday in South Korea.It is indeed one of the most meaningful and festive holidays of the year, celebrated with family gatherings, ancestral rites (charye), customary food, and games. Families often travel long distances to return to their ancestral hometowns, leading to significant transportation challenges.
Traffic Situation Details
As of 3 PM KST on October 3rd, the Korea Expressway Corporation reported significant delays on several key routes:
| Expressway | Section | Estimated Delay (minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| Gyeongbu Expressway | Seoul to Sinbuhang | 60-80 |
| Gyeongbu Expressway | Jamwon to Banpo | 40-50 |
| Seoul-Busan |