Millions travel nationwide in Korea to see their families around Lunar New Year
- 5 years ago
We start off with our coverage of the Lunar New Year, or Seollal as it is known in Korean.
It's one of the biggest holidays here in the country when families get together, share gifts and enjoy traditional foods.
And with the five-day break that starts today,... the mass exodus of people is well underway.
Our Yoon Jung-min reports.
Korea is celebrating the start of the new year in observance of the lunar calendar, as many other Asian countries do.
Lunar New Year's Day, or Seollal in Korean, is one of the country's biggest holidays where people gather to meet their family and relatives, wear Hanbok, hold ancestral rites and bow to elders, which is called " Saebae."
This year, the holidays will run from February 4th to the 6th on the solar calendar, but the break stretchs out for five days including the weekend,... and mass travel is expected around this period.
In recent years, many people have gone on vacations abroad... to spend their holidays in foreign destinations, but many Koreans still typically spend time with their family to celebrate the new year.
Every year, during the major holidays,... train stations, bus terminals and roads across the nation are packed with travelers making their way around to other regions to see their families.
"I will be happy to see my grandparents and pay my respect to them."
"It's been a long time since I've seen my parents and I'm glad to see them. It's great that we can travel conveniently by train."
"My son and his wife live in Ulsan. My daughter-in-law gave birth last month and it's not easy for them to come to Seoul. So we are going to see them and spend five days there."
"The transport ministry estimates that over a period of seven days... 49 million trips will be taken domestically, and it expects traffic to be heavier before and on Lunar New Year's Day."
Not only train stations, but bus terminals are also bustling with travelers. Some of them are carrying gifts, and many of them look excited to meet their loved ones.
"We're heading to Jindo in Jeollanam-do Province. I'm going to spend the holidays with my relatives, eat tteokguk which is a special holiday food, and have fun."
People normally go on a long journey and have to endure heavy traffic jams during the holidays, but they all carry with them... the same hopes and expectations as they usher in the new year.
Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.
It's one of the biggest holidays here in the country when families get together, share gifts and enjoy traditional foods.
And with the five-day break that starts today,... the mass exodus of people is well underway.
Our Yoon Jung-min reports.
Korea is celebrating the start of the new year in observance of the lunar calendar, as many other Asian countries do.
Lunar New Year's Day, or Seollal in Korean, is one of the country's biggest holidays where people gather to meet their family and relatives, wear Hanbok, hold ancestral rites and bow to elders, which is called " Saebae."
This year, the holidays will run from February 4th to the 6th on the solar calendar, but the break stretchs out for five days including the weekend,... and mass travel is expected around this period.
In recent years, many people have gone on vacations abroad... to spend their holidays in foreign destinations, but many Koreans still typically spend time with their family to celebrate the new year.
Every year, during the major holidays,... train stations, bus terminals and roads across the nation are packed with travelers making their way around to other regions to see their families.
"I will be happy to see my grandparents and pay my respect to them."
"It's been a long time since I've seen my parents and I'm glad to see them. It's great that we can travel conveniently by train."
"My son and his wife live in Ulsan. My daughter-in-law gave birth last month and it's not easy for them to come to Seoul. So we are going to see them and spend five days there."
"The transport ministry estimates that over a period of seven days... 49 million trips will be taken domestically, and it expects traffic to be heavier before and on Lunar New Year's Day."
Not only train stations, but bus terminals are also bustling with travelers. Some of them are carrying gifts, and many of them look excited to meet their loved ones.
"We're heading to Jindo in Jeollanam-do Province. I'm going to spend the holidays with my relatives, eat tteokguk which is a special holiday food, and have fun."
People normally go on a long journey and have to endure heavy traffic jams during the holidays, but they all carry with them... the same hopes and expectations as they usher in the new year.
Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.