Heavy snowfall and severe weather are causing widespread travel chaos across South Korea on Tuesday as millions of people embark on their journeys for the Seollal holiday, the Korean Lunar New Year.
The disruptions, which began during the long weekend, worsened on Tuesday, with delays in train services, highway gridlock, and flight cancellations affecting travelers across the country.
Severe train delays as safety measures kick in
Train services have been hit hard, with operators forced to reduce speeds due to safety concerns in snow-covered regions. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, 80 trains had been delayed nationwide as of 7 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Forty-six of those trains -- 38 operated by KORAIL (Korea Railroad Corporation) and 8 by SR Corp. -- were delayed by 10 to 20 minutes, while 34 trains (22 KORAIL, 12 SR Corp.) were delayed for longer than 20 minutes. Both companies are operating trains at reduced speeds on major lines, such as the Gyeongbu and Honam Lines, to prevent accidents.
“We are driving cautiously in affected areas by implementing our second stage of disaster countermeasures in response to heavy snow warnings,” a KORAIL official said. SR Corp. added that their high-speed trains were running at adjusted speeds of 170 to 230 kilometers per hour to ensure the safety of passengers.
Highways jammed
Road travel has also been severely affected, with heavy traffic clogging South Korea’s major highways as families make their way to their hometowns for the holiday.
According to the Korea Transport Institute, the busiest departure time for holiday travelers was expected to be this morning, with 20.9 percent of people starting their journeys on Tuesday. By 10 a.m., estimated travel times from the Seoul Tollgate to major cities had soared:
• Busan: 7 hours, 20 minutes
• Ulsan: 6 hours, 50 minutes
• Gwangju: 6 hours, 10 minutes
• Daegu: 6 hours, 20 minutes
• Gangneung: 4 hours, 10 minutes
• Daejeon: 3 hours, 20 minutes
Flight cancellations pile up
Air travel has fared no better. By 8 a.m., 119 flights had been canceled nationwide, according to Korea Airports Corporation. At Incheon International Airport, 66 international flights -- 30 departures and 36 arrivals -- were grounded, along with four domestic flights.
Special traffic measures in place
To address the transportation challenges, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has implemented special measures for the Seollal holiday period, spanning Jan. 24 to Feb. 2.
The ministry anticipates that a total of 34.84 million people will travel during this period, with Jan. 29, the Seollal day, expected to see the highest volume at 6.01 million travelers. Officials outlined a five-point plan to manage the holiday rush, which includes increasing public transportation capacity, enhancing traffic safety, and improving preparedness for severe weather and accidents.
mjh@heraldcorp.com
