Snow paralyzes traffic as millions head home for Lunar New Year

SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- With heavy snowfall disrupting traffic on several main roads leading into and out of the city, millions of Koreans continued their journeys to hometowns across the country to celebrate the Lunar New Year Saturday.

Nearly 350,000 vehicles will leave the capital Seoul Saturday, the first day of
the holiday period, and major roads are expected to remain jammed through the end
of the holiday next week, highway authorities said. Lunar New Year's Day, called
Seol in Korean, falls on Monday.
"More snowfall has been predicted throughout the day, with icy roads slowing
traffic," the Korea Expressway Corporation said.
Koreans traditionally gather in hometowns or ancestral villages during the Lunar
New Year to pay tribute to their ancestors. More than 28 million people are
expected to travel during this year's holiday period, with up to 79 percent of
them choosing to drive.
Traffic congestion already began plaguing the main highways linking Seoul to
provincial cities such as Busan and Mokpo on the eve of the festival. Outbound
traffic will be at its peak late Saturday and inbound traffic from late Monday,
the expressway corporation said.
Weather officials expect the cold snap to continue throughout the holiday with
morning lows ranging from minus 14 to seven degrees Celsius.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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