The number of travelers during the Lunar New Year holiday rose by five-point-six percent compared to last year.

However, the figure falls far short of the 17-percent rise forecast by the government, implying that many South Koreans refrained from traveling amid the rampant spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19.

According to transport ministry data on Thursday, 25-point-nine million people traveled between January 28 and February 2 for a daily average of four-point-three million, inching up from a little over four million last year. 

An earlier survey by the Korea Transport Institute predicted daily average travelers to hit four-point-eight million, but it turns out that far fewer people actually hit the road.

Many are believed to have called off plans to visit their hometowns amid the omicron wave.

Data shows over 25 million vehicles used expressways during the holiday. The daily average of four-point-19 million is slightly higher than last year's four-point-14 million, but is a sharp drop from four-point-seven million in 2020.