Traffic congestion is expected to peak Sunday, the second day of the five‑day Lunar New Year holiday.

The Korea Expressway Corporation said outbound traffic from the capital region is projected to reach its peak around noon, while congestion toward Seoul will be heaviest around 4 p.m.

The agency estimated that about 450-thousand vehicles would leave the metropolitan area, while 380-thousand vehicles would head toward Seoul.

As of noon, the estimated travel time from Seoul to Busan was about seven hours. Trips to Gwangju were expected to take five hours and 30 minutes, Daejeon three hours and 30 minutes, Gangneung four hours and 30 minutes, and Daegu six hours.

Estimated travel times to Seoul were five hours from Busan, three hours and 20 minutes from Gwangju, two hours and 40 minutes from Gangneung, and one hour and 50 minutes from Daejeon.

Congestion in both directions is expected to gradually ease after 8 p.m.