Vehicles using expressways during this year's Lunar New Year holiday increased by more than 20% from last year, according to tallies.
According to materials the Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC) submitted on the 19th to Rep. Yeon-hee Lee of the Democratic Party of Korea, a member of the National Assembly's Land Infrastructure and Transport Committee, traffic on fiscal expressways operated by the corporation from the 15th to the 18th of this month totaled 22.5 million vehicles. That is 20.1% more than the 18.73 million vehicles over the four days before and after last year's Lunar New Year holiday.
It is interpreted as an effect of the average daily number of travelers increasing because the Lunar New Year holiday was one day shorter than last year. By day, the 17th, Lunar New Year's Day, had the most traffic at 6.57 million vehicles. Expressway tolls waived during the holiday period from the 15th to the 18th amounted to 62.3 billion won. That is up 19.8% from the amount waived during last year's holiday, 52.0 billion won.
During the special holiday traffic period from the 13th to the 18th, average daily sales at expressway service areas were 7.82 billion won. This is also 26.3% higher than last Lunar New Year's 6.19 billion won. The day with the highest sales was the 17th, Lunar New Year's Day, when sales alone reached 11.42 billion won.
Meanwhile, service area gas stations recorded average daily sales of 14.95 billion won during the period. That is up 10% from last Lunar New Year's 13.59 billion won. Gas station sales were also highest on Lunar New Year's Day, at 16.96 billion won.