Traffic jammed as millions head home

SEOUL, Sept. 15 (Yonhap) -- Millions of South Koreans were returning to Seoul from their hometowns as the Chuseok holiday neared its end on Monday, causing traffic jams across the peninsula, highway officials said.

Chuseok, the Korean fall harvest festival, is one of the largest holidays in the country and ran Saturday through Monday this year.

One study showed that about a third of the nation's 49 million people visit their
hometowns for the holiday.

As of 12 p.m. Monday, an estimated 80,000 cars had returned to Seoul and adjacent
areas, the Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC) said.

"About 300,000 more vehicles will be returning to the metropolitan area
between now and midnight, (making up) the last portion of homeward
travelers," a KEC official said.

"We escaped the worst this year due to the increased use of car navigation
devices and public transportation."

hayney@yna.co.kr

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