25 Mil. Head for Home on Chuseok Exodus
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter
Millions of people began their annual journeys back to their hometowns, Thursday, for reunions with family members and friends ahead of the Chuseok holiday.
This year, the holiday lasts three days ― starting Friday ― and is shorter than in previous years, leading to more severe congestion on roads leading out of cities nationwide.
The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs forecast that a total of 25.7 million people will be on the move, with 5 million moving daily during a five-day period beginning Thursday.
While the number is smaller than those hitting the road during the same period last year, bus terminals and train stations were crowded with many people clad in "hanbok," or Korean traditional costumes, with gift boxes in their hands and children tagging along.
The Korea Expressway Corp. said that, after 1 p.m., sections along the Seoul-Busan Expressway were clogged with traffic and the average speed was down to 10 to 20 kilometers per hour. It took those departing Seoul at 1 p.m. about seven hours to get to Busan.
The situation was similar on other key arterial roads ― travel times were protracted, with officials expecting congestion to worsen through Friday afternoon.
"Cars started to pack the highway going out of Seoul on Thursday morning," an official said.
Train stations, express bus terminals and domestic airports were also flooded with people going to their hometowns.
Although more train services, flights and buses were scheduled, most train tickets were sold out except for a few standing ones on certain routes.
The influenza A H1N1 virus also appears to be affecting travel patterns. Some people are staying at home either because of the shorter holiday or for fear of catching flu in a crowded place.
"People are reluctant to take buses where they have to ride with strangers for a long time for fear of being infected by the flu," said an official at Gangnam Express Bus Terminal.
"The Chuseok holiday is too short this year and I couldn't get train tickets. So I'm staying in Seoul," a 29-year-old office worker named Lee said. "I will go to the movies and also see a musical during the weekend, as there are special discounts during the holiday."