As the Lunar New Year approaches, a time of significant travel for many Koreans, the government is taking steps to ensure a smooth and stress-free holiday. With an estimated 28.52 million people expected to be on the move this year, particularly on the day of Lunar New Year itself, the 10th, with an expected peak of 6.63 million travelers.
The highest traffic volume for homebound travelers is anticipated on the morning of the 9th, the day before the Lunar New Year, and for the return journey, the afternoon of the 11th, the day after the Lunar New Year, is expected to be the busiest.
In preparation for this surge in travel, the government plans to provide travel convenience by exempting highway tolls for all vehicles for four days before and after Lunar New Year, and providing luggage delivery services for railways and airlines.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has designated a total of five days, from the 8th to the 12th, as a special traffic measure period. On the 6th, it announced that it would implement a special traffic measure for the Lunar New Year holiday in cooperation with related agencies to support safe and convenient travel.
According to data from the Korea Transport Institute and the Korea Expressway Corporation, during this measure period, a total of 28.52 million people, or an average of 5.7 million people per day (a 2.3% increase from the previous year), are expected to travel, and on Lunar New Year's Day, 6.63 million people are expected to travel.
The average daily number of vehicles using highways is expected to increase by 3.1% from the previous year to 5.2 million.
The majority of the transport used for travel is expected to be private cars (92%), followed by buses, railways, aviation, and maritime transport.
In response, the government plans to exempt highway tolls for four days before and after Lunar New Year, and operate a shoulder lane during the measure period to support smooth traffic.
Highway rest areas will sell 10 types of affordable snacks and discounted bundled snacks to alleviate the burden on the people, and plan to operate mobile electric vehicle charging stations for free.
The government also plans to increase the total number of public transport services such as buses and railways by 10.9% more than usual to 118,489 times during the measure period.
In addition, the government plans to crack down on illegal activities such as traffic regulation violations, drunk driving, and non-wearing of seat belts using advanced technologies such as drones.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the National Police Agency plan to conduct joint crackdowns linked to undercover patrol cars, and plan to operate a special traffic measure headquarters jointly with various departments to manage traffic conditions 24 hours a day.
Park Ji-hong, head of the Transportation and Logistics Department at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, emphasized, "During the Lunar New Year holiday, traffic volume increases and the risk of accidents increases due to road icing caused by temperature drops, so please comply with traffic order to prevent safety accidents. If you are traveling by private car, please check traffic information before departure to reduce traffic congestion, and please check traffic and detour road conditions through rest area congestion information, road electronic signboards, etc. during the move."
NamdoToday