Posted September. 09, 2000 18:39,
An annual national exodus began to spend the nation¡¯s most celebrated Chusok holidays together with families at hometowns.
Today virtually the first day of the holidays, the nation's major railroad stations, airports and bus terminals were crowded with homebound people, and there was much traffic on major expresways and roads.
The Ministry of Construction and Transportation said that about 28.83 million people, increased by 3,99 percent from a year earlier, are expected to go to their hometowns during the Chusok holidays, and the number of vehicles to hit expressways will reach 16 million, up 16.5 percent.
Beginning from this afternoon, homebound people with many gifts in their hands swarmed to the Seoul Railroad Station, Panpo ExpressBus Terminal and Kimpo International Airport.
Severe traffic jams took place in the Pangyo-Gungnaedong toll gate, Chonan-Mokchon Interchange and Taejon-Hoedok sections on the Keongbu (Seoul-Pusan) Expressway.
With noon as the standard for departing Seoul, it took three hours and 30 minutes to go to Taejon, five hours to Kwangju and seven hours to Pusan, one or two more hours longer.
An official of the Korea Highway Corporation said, ¡°A total of 260,000 vehicles, 70,000 to 80,000 more than ordinary days, went out of Seoul during the day, and the number would be similar on Sunday and Monday.¡±
Vehicles returning to Seoul are expected to rush on September 12 322,300) and on September 13 (291,000).
Meanwhile, the Seoul City Hall decided to extend the operation hours of all the subway lines and 1,487 intracity buses on 76 routes until 2 a.m. on Wednesday for the convenience of citizens who return to Seoul late at night. All Seoul taxies will also be operated that day.