On the 12th, the last day of the Chuseok holiday, which lasted up to ten days, the departure lounge of Jeju International Airport was crowded with tourists and returning travelers heading back to their daily lives after the long holiday. Yonhap News.

On the 12th, the last day of the longest-ever 10-day Chuseok "Golden Holiday," a stream of people returning home continued at major train stations, express and intercity bus terminals, ferry terminals, and airports.

As the holiday drew to a close, visitors flocked to tourist attractions, festivals, and event venues across the country to ease their lingering regrets.

On the 12th, the last day of the Chuseok holiday, which lasted up to ten days, the departure lounge of Jeju International Airport was crowded with tourists and returning travelers heading back to their daily lives after the long holiday. Yonhap News.

◇ "Regretful, but back to daily life"... A continuous stream of returning travelers

Jeju International Airport was bustling with tourists and returning travelers heading back to their daily lives after the long holiday.

Long lines formed at airline ticketing counters as travelers, carrying luggage, moved through the airport lounge with their companions, or checked in golf bags and gift packages.

According to the Jeju Tourism Association, a preliminary count shows that 339,926 people visited Jeju during the week of October 3rd to 9th. This is an 11.3% increase from the 305,455 visitors during last year's Chuseok holiday period (September 12th-18th, 2024).

On October 10th and 11th, 38,294 and 30,114 people entered the island, respectively.

Ms. Jang (32, Seoul), who was returning home after her trip, said, "My friend and I stayed in Jeju for three days and two nights to rest and have fun." She added regretfully, "It felt like a long holiday, but it passed by in the blink of an eye."

Nineteen passenger ferries operating on 15 routes connecting the western islands such as Incheon, Baengnyeongdo, and Yeonpyeongdo with Incheon were also in full operation on this day, busy transporting passengers.

Major train stations and bus terminals across the country also saw a steady flow of returning travelers after the long Chuseok holiday.

At Osong Station and the express bus terminal in Cheongju, Chungbuk, returning travelers with luggage and bags, and their families and friends waving goodbye, were a common sight.

The Gwangju Integrated Bus Terminal, Gwangju Songjeong Station, Daejeon Station, Daejeon Complex Terminal, and Changwon Central Station were also crowded with people embarking on their journeys home with regretful faces.

Inje Autumn Flower Festival Site. Yonhap News.

◇ National Mountains and Festival Sites Packed with People... Holidaymakers Flock to Enjoy the End of the Break

During the golden holiday, visitors flocked to tourist attractions, famous mountains, festivals, and event venues across the country.

Despite the inclement weather, the Autumn Flower Festival site in Inje County, Gangwon Province, attracted a large number of visitors.

Visitors admired over 500,000 wild flowers, including chrysanthemums, verbenas, and globe amaranth, arranged in a 82,800 square meter space, and tasted various local specialties from the Inje region.

The Dinosaur World Expo site at Danghangpo Tourist Resort in Goseong, Gyeongnam, also saw a gathering of family visitors.

Young children, holding their parents' hands, enjoyed dinosaur exhibits and participated in various hands-on activities such as face painting and making Tyrannosaurus Rex mugs.

Hikers also continued to visit local mountains such as Mt. Palgongsan in Daegu and Mt. Juwangsan in Cheongsong, Gyeongbuk, to enjoy the final days of the holiday.

Visitors to Songnisan National Park strolled along the Sejo Trail, connecting Beopjusa Temple and Sesimjeong Pavilion, to fully enjoy the autumn scenery of the mountain temples. Many visitors also explored Jirisan National Park to admire its natural beauty.

Mr. Jeong (38, Gyeryong, Chungnam), who had visited his hometown of Busan early and then went on a family outing to Gyeryongsan, said, "Since it's the last day of the holiday, we decided to have a simple meal out nearby rather than traveling far."

Citizens visiting Everland in Yongin and the Korean Folk Village enjoyed rides and experienced the autumn atmosphere of Korea, fully savoring a relaxing weekend.

Tongdosa Temple in Yangsan, Haeinsa Temple in Hapcheon, Citizens Park and Children's Grand Park in Busanjin-gu, Busan, Taejongdae Resort in Yeongdo-gu, and Igidae Coastal Park in Nam-gu were also crowded with family outings.

On the 9th, the Osan IC area of the Gyeongbu Expressway in Osan-si, Gyeonggi-do, heading towards Seoul (right) is congested. Yonhap News.

◇ National Traffic Volume Expected at 4.33 Million Vehicles... Seoul-bound traffic to peak around 5 PM

According to the Korea Expressway Corporation, as of a 3 PM departure, the estimated travel times from various city toll gates to the Seoul toll gate are 4 hours and 50 minutes from Ulsan, 4 hours and 30 minutes from Busan, 3 hours and 50 minutes from Daegu, 3 hours and 30 minutes from Gwangju, 3 hours from Gangneung, and 2 hours and 10 minutes from Daejeon.

For the southbound routes, estimated times from the Seoul toll gate are 2 hours and 40 minutes to Gangneung, 3 hours and 30 minutes to Daegu, 3 hours and 20 minutes to Gwangju, 4 hours and 10 minutes to Ulsan, and 4 hours and 30 minutes to Busan.

Road authorities forecast that the total national vehicle traffic will reach 4.33 million vehicles on this day.

There will be 340,000 vehicles traveling from the Seoul metropolitan area to other regions and 330,000 vehicles traveling from other regions to the Seoul metropolitan area.

Traffic volume and congestion are expected to decrease compared to a typical Sunday, but traffic heading towards Seoul is anticipated to be most congested around 5 PM.

The Yeongdong Expressway and the West Coast Expressway are expected to be the most congested.

Road authorities expect that congestion in these busy sections will ease between 9 PM and 10 PM.

Yonhap News