Traffic congestion has begun since early Saturday, with some five-point-05 million vehicles forecast to travel on the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday.

According to the Korea Expressway Corporation, as of 9 a.m., the estimated travel time from Seoul to Busan was around five-and-a-half hours, while that to the southwestern city of Gwangju was four hours and ten minutes.

Outbound travel from Seoul to the eastern city of Gangneung was expected to take three hours and ten minutes, and two hours and 20 minutes to the central city of Daejeon.

In the opposite direction, it was forecast to take five hours and ten minutes from Busan to Seoul, three hours and 20 minutes from Gwangju, two hours and 40 minutes from Gangneung, and one hour and 50 minutes from Daejeon.

Outbound traffic from Seoul is expected to peak around noon, and then ease at around 8 p.m.

As for inbound traffic towards the capital, congestion is expected to peak at around 6 p.m., before easing at around 11 p.m.