(LEAD) Traffic heavy on expressways as people return home following Chuseok

(ATTN: UPDATES paras 1, 4 with latest info)

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- Most highways and roads across the country remained clogged with heavy traffic Sunday, as people were traveling back home on the third day of the four-day Chuseok holiday.

Chuseok, the Korean autumn harvest celebration, is one of the country's biggest traditional holidays and serves as a chance for family members to get together. Chuseok is celebrated on Aug. 15 in the lunar calendar, which fell on Saturday this year.

According to Korea Expressway Corp., major highways, particularly Seoul-bound ones, were jammed with vehicles, with the road congestion likely to peak at about 4-5 p.m.

As of 2 p.m., the estimated travel time to Seoul was 7 hours from the southern port city of Busan, about 6 hours from the southeastern city of Daegu, and 3 hours and 40 minutes from the central Daejeon city.

Some 5.43 million vehicles were expected to hit the roads on their way back home on Sunday alone, according to the authorities.

graceoh@yna.co.kr
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