Over 27 mil. Koreans expected to travel nationwide during Lunar New Year holiday

Heavy traffic clogs the Gyeongbu Expressway, which links Seoul to the southeastern city of Busan, as many people travel home after Lunar New Year's Day, Feb. 11, 2024. Yonhap

Over 27 million people are expected to travel across Korea during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, according to the transport ministry Tuesday.

The ministry said it estimates 27.8 million people will travel during the six-day period from Friday to next Wednesday, which has been designated as a special transportation period during which comprehensive traffic management and safety measures will be implemented.

According to the ministry, daily average traffic during the holiday period is expected to reach 8.34 million trips.

The estimated total number of travelers represents a 13.3 percent decline from last year due to the shorter holiday period, but the daily average traffic projection is 9.3 percent higher, also due to the shortened period.

To accommodate the surge in travel, the government will strengthen traffic congestion management, enhance safety controls and increase public transportation services nationwide during the period.

The ministry added that additional measures, including expressway toll exemptions and expanded rest area operations, will be introduced to support smooth and safe travel.