Expressways in South Korea

Expressway arteries throughout South Korea

Approaching Seoul from Incheon Airport

Highway bus lane on Gyeongbu Expressway in the Republic of Korea

Expressways in South Korea were originally numbered in order of construction. Since August 24, 2001, they have been numbered in a scheme somewhat similar to that of the Interstate Highway System in the United States; the icons of the South Korean Expressways are notably similar to those in the United States because they are shaped like U.S. Highway shields and colored like Interstate shields with red, white and blue, the colors of the flag of South Korea.

• Arterial routes are designated by two-digit numbers, with north-south routes having odd numbers, and east-west routes having even numbers. Primary routes (i.e. major thoroughfares) have 5 or 0 as their last digit, while secondary routes end in other digits.
• Branch routes have three-digit route numbers, where the first two digits match the route number of an arterial route.
• Belt lines have three-digit route numbers where the first digit matches the respective city's postal code.
• Route numbers in the range 70–99 are not used in South Korea; they are reserved for designations in the event of Korean reunification.
• The Gyeongbu Expressway kept its Route 1 designation, as it is South Korea's first and most important expressway.

List of expressways

• Italics are planned line.

#		Type	Name	Section	Total Length(km)
1		Main	Gyeongbu Expressway	Yangjae IC (Seoul) – Guseo IC (Busan)	416.1km
10		East – West Trunk	Namhae Expressway	West Yeongam IC(Yeongam) - Haeryong IC(Suncheon)	106.8km
				West Suncheon IC (Suncheon) – Deokcheon IC (Busan)	166.3km
	102	East – West Branch (of 10)	Namhae 1st Branch Expressway	Sanin JC (Haman) – Naeseo JC – Changwon JC (Changwon)	17.9km
	104	East – West Branch (of 10)	Namhae 2nd Branch Expressway	Nangjeong JC (Gimhae) – Sasang IC (Busan)	20.6km
	105	South – North Branch (of 10)	Namhae 3rd Branch Expressway	Jinhae – Gijang	15.3km
12		East – West	Muan-Gwangju Expressway	Muan Airport IC (Muan) – Unsu IC (Gwangju)	41.3km
			Gwangju–Daegu Expressway	Munheung JC (Gwangju) – Okpo JC (Dalseong)	176.0km
14		East - West	Hamyang-Ulsan Expressway	Hamyang – Ulsan	144.6km
15		South – North Trunk	Seohaean Expressway	Mokpo IC (Muan) – Geumcheon IC (Seoul)	336.6km
	151	South – North Branch (of 15)	Seocheon-Gongju Expressway	East Seocheon JC (Seocheon) – West Gongju JC (Gongju)	61.4km
	153	South – North Branch (of 15)	Pyeongtaek-Siheung Expressway	Pyeongtaek – Siheung	40.3km
16		East – West	Ulsan Expressway	Eonyang JC (Ulju) – Ulsan IC (Ulsan)	14.3km
17		South – North	Pyeongtaek-Hwaseong Expressway	Oseong IC (Pyeongtaek) – Bongdam IC (Hwaseong)	26.7km
			Suwon-Munsan Expressway	Suwon – Paju	83.0km
	171	South – North Branch (of 17)	Osan-Hwaseong Expressway	West Osan JC (Osan) – Annyeong IC (Hwaseong)	2.5km
			Yongin-Seoul Expressway	Heungdeok IC (Yongin) – Heolleung IC (Seoul)	22.9km
19		South – North	Guri-Pocheon Expressway	Guri – Pocheon	50.5km
20		East – West Trunk	Iksan-Pohang Expressway	Iksan JC (Iksan) – Jangsu JC (Jangsu)	61.0km
				Palgongsan IC (Daegu) – Pohang IC (Pohang)	69.4km
	202	East – West Branch (of 20)	Iksan-Pohang Branch Expressway	Pohang	24.0km
25		South – North Trunk	Honam Expressway	West Suncheon IC (Suncheon) – Nonsan JC (Nonsan)	194.2km
			Nonsan-Cheonan Expressway	Nonsan JC (Nonsan) – Cheonan JC (Cheonan)	82.0km
	251	South – North Branch (of 25)	Honam Branch Expressway	Nonsan JC (Nonsan) – Hoedeok JC (Daejeon)	54.0km
	253	South – North Branch (of 25)	Gochang-Damyang Expressway	Gochang JC (Gochang) – Daedeok JC (Damyang)	42.5km
27		South – North	Suncheon-Wanju Expressway	East Sunchen IC (Suncheon) – Wanju JC (Wanju)	117.8km
30		East – West Trunk	Dangjin-Yeongdeok Expressway	Dangjin JC (Dangjin) – Nakdong JC (Sangju) - Yeongdeok	305.5km
	301	South – North Branch (of 30)	Sangju-Yeongcheon Expressway	Sangju – Yeongcheon	93.9km
35		South – North Trunk	Tongyeong-Daejeon Expressway	Tongyeong IC (Tongyeong) – Biryong JC (Daejeon)	215.3km
			Jungbu Expressway	Biryong JC (Daejeon) – Hanam JC (Hanam)	117.2km
37		South – North	2nd Jungbu Expressway	Express Line of 35 (Majang JC (Icheon) – Sangok JC (Hanam))	31.1km
40		East – West Trunk	Pyeongtaek–Jecheon Expressway	West Pyeongtaek JC (Pyeongtaek) – Jecheon JC (Jecheon)	127.4km
45		South – North Trunk	Jungbu Naeryuk Expressway	Naeseo JC (Changwon) – Yangpyeong IC (Yangpyeong)	301.7km
	451	South – North Branch (of 45)	Jungbu Naeryuk Branch Expressway	Hyeonpung JC (Dalseong) – Geumho JC (Daegu)	30.0km
50		East – West Trunk	Yeongdong Expressway	Seochang JC (Incheon) – Gangneung JC (Gangneung)	234.4km
52		East – West	Gwangju-Wonju Expressway	Gwangju, Gyeonggi – Wonju	57.0km
55		South – North Trunk	Jungang Expressway	Samnak JC (Busan) – Daedong JC (Gimhae) East Daegu JC (Daegu) – Chuncheon IC (Chuncheon)	388.1km
			Daegu-Busan Expressway	Daedong JC (Gimhae) – East Daegu JC (Daegu)
	551	South – North Branch (of 55)	Jungang Branch Expressway	Daedong JC (Gimhae) – Yangsan JC (Yangsan)	18.1km
60		East – West Trunk	Seoul-Yangyang Expressway	Deokso-Sampae IC (Namyangju) – East Hongcheon IC (Hongcheon) - Yangyang	150.2km
65		South – North Trunk	Donghae Expressway	Haeundae IC (Busan) – Pohang	100.9km
				Samcheok – Donghae IC (Donghae) – Hajodae IC (Yangyang) – Sokcho	122.6km
100		Belt	Seoul Ring Expressway	Pangyo JC (Seongnam) – Hanam JC (Hanam) – Uijeongbu IC (Uijeongbu) - Ilsan IC (Goyang) – Jangsu IC (Incheon) – Pangyo JC – (Loop)	128.0km
110		Metropolitan Area	2nd Gyeongin Expressway	Airport Town Square JC (Incheon) – Sammak IC (Anyang) – Seongnam	70.0km
120		Metropolitan Area	Gyeongin Expressway	Incheon IC (Incheon) – Sinwol IC (Seoul)	23.9km
130		Metropolitan Area	Incheon International Airport Expressway	Bungno JC (Goyang) – Airport Town Square JC (Incheon)	36.5km
300		Belt	Daejeon Southern Belt Expressway	Seodaejeon JC (Daejeon) – Biryong JC (Daejeon)	20.9km
400		Belt	Capital Region 2nd Belt Expressway	Bongdam IC (Hwaseong) – Dongtan JC (Hwaseong)	17.8km
				Incheon – Gimpo	28.5km
				Pocheon - Yangpyeong IC (Yangpyeong)	46.5km
500		Belt	Gwangju Ring Expressway	Gwangju – Jangseong	10.3km
600		Belt	Busan Ring Expressway	Gimhae – Busan - Yangsan - Busan	48.8km
700		Belt	Daegu Ring Expressway	Daegu – Chilgok - Daegu	32.4km

Access restrictions

Motorcycling restrictions

Overhead sign at a South Korean expressway entrance

Motor vehicles only sign and no motorcycles sign in South Korea at an expressway entrance

Since June 1, 1972, all motorcycles except police motorcycles are prohibited from driving on expressways in South Korea, regardless of engine displacement. Before 1972, motorcycles with an engine displacement greater than 250 cc were permitted on expressways.^[1][2]

Since March 15, 1992, all motorcycles except police motorcycles have been banned from certain other roads designated for motor vehicles only.^[3][4][5] These roads are marked by a circular blue sign with a white silhouette of a car.

South Korea is the only country in the OECD with a freeway ban on motorcycles.

See also

• National highways of South Korea
• Motorways of North Korea

References

1. (Korean) Prohibit the driving on Expressways for Three-wheeled Vehicles and Motorcycles May 23,1972, Dong-a Ilbo
2. (Korean) Prohibit the driving on Expressways for Three-wheeled Vehicles etc May 24, 1972, Maeil Business Newspaper
3. (Korean) Article 58 the South Korea Road Traffic Law(Revised for December 14, 1991, Enforced from to March 15, 1992)
4. (Korean) Article 63 of the South Korea Road Traffic Law(Revised for May 31, 2005 and April 28, 2006, Enforced from to June 1st 2006)
5. (Korean) Article 63 of the South Korea Road Traffic Law(Revised for June 8, 2011, Enforced from to December 9, 2011)

External links

• MOLIT – South Korean Government Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport