On the 16th, a day before the Lunar New Year, significant traffic congestion is anticipated on South Korea's highways, with expected travel times from Seoul to Busan reaching about 6 hours and 4 hours 20 minutes to Gwangju by noon. According to the Korea Expressway Corporation, while the outbound travel on the holiday is slightly less congested compared to the previous day, the return travel times have increased by 10 to 30 minutes depending on the region.

The worst congestion for return trips is expected just after noon on the 17th, the day of the Lunar New Year, through to the evening. Additionally, key congested areas include sections of the Gyeongbu Expressway, particularly near the Myeonghyang Rest Area and Cheonan Junction, where delays are noted to be approximately 6 km and 17 km, respectively. The Central Inland Expressway also reports slow-moving traffic towards Changwon.

The toll fees for the expressways have been waived until midnight on the 18th, which might slightly alleviate travel costs for holiday commuters. Overall, the situation reflects typical holiday patterns in South Korea, where travel spikes lead to increased congestion and travel times during the festive season.