Seoul, Feb 17 (NationPress) In a heartfelt message, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung declared on Tuesday his ongoing commitment to enhance services for the populace and foster national unity as he celebrated the Lunar New Year during his second year in office.

"At the dawn of the Lunar New Year of the Red Horse, I reaffirm my role as a 'president for all', dedicated to embracing and assisting every citizen," stated Lee, who wore traditional hanbok, in a video message that featured First Lady Kim Hea Kyung, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.

Having assumed office in June last year amidst political unrest stemming from former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law attempt in December 2024 and subsequent impeachment, Lee expressed his gratitude to the citizens for navigating the crisis collaboratively last year.

"Thanks to the collective efforts of our people over the past year, we are witnessing a swifter return to normalcy across all sectors of society than anticipated," he mentioned. "I extend my heartfelt thanks to all sovereign citizens for protecting our nation, whether on the streets, at home, or in workplaces."

Lee reiterated his dedication to constructing the nation that the people envision, despite varying viewpoints, emphasizing the shared aspiration of creating a better future for their children.

"We supported each other and conquered challenges last year," he remarked. "I hope this year our society can progress together rooted in compassionate solidarity and trust."

On a different note, heavy traffic was reported on highways nationwide on Tuesday afternoon as many vehicles returned home on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year holiday.

The country observes this significant holiday, known as Seol, on Tuesday, with the holiday period starting over the weekend and continuing through Wednesday.

As of 5 pm, travel times were estimated at seven hours from the southeastern city of Busan to Seoul, six hours from Daegu, and four hours from the eastern city of Gangneung, according to the Korea Expressway Corp. (KEC).

The KEC predicted that traffic congestion moving away from the capital region would ease between 8 to 9 pm, while the return traffic toward Seoul is expected to clear around 3 to 4 am the next morning.

The total traffic volume for the day was anticipated to reach approximately 6.15 million vehicles, surpassing the previous day's 5.05 million, which included 440,000 cars departing the greater Seoul area and 470,000 heading toward Seoul from other parts of the country.