National Route 2 () is a national highway in South Korea that runs from Bukgang Port in Jangsan-myeon, Sinan County, Jeollanam-do, through Gyeongsangnam-do, and to the Old City Hall Intersection in Jung-gu, Busan. It was first established on 31 August 1971. The original road connected Mokpo to Busan, but in 2004, a road that connects Sinan to Mokpo opened to traffic.
In the early 1950s, the government designated major arterial roads as national highways to systematically reorganize the national transportation network. This was the first time National Route 2 was established. Initially, the route connected Busan and Gwangju, serving as key transportation connecting Yeongnam and Honam along the southern coast.
Since then, National Route 2 has undergone several adjustments to reflect road network improvements, administrative district reorganization, and changing transportation needs. The current route begins in Daeyeon-dong, Nam-gu, Busan, near the port of Busan, and ends in Mokpo, Jeollanam-do. Major transit points include Busan, Gimhae, Changwon, Jinju, Hadong, Namhae, Yeosu, Suncheon, Boseong, Jangheung, Gangjin, and Haenam, making it a long-distance trunk road that runs along the southern coast.
National Route 2 is significant in many ways beyond its simple function as a transportation route. First, it significantly contributes to the promotion of the tourism industry by connecting major tourist destinations along the southern coast, including Namhae, Yeosu, Suncheon, Gangjin, Haenam, and Mokpo. Second, by linking Busan Port and Gwangyang Port, it plays a pivotal role in the movement of industrial logistics in the Yeongnam and southern Honam regions. Third, despite the expansion of high-speed arterial roads, such as the Namhae Expressway and the Yeosu-Suncheon Expressway, which have somewhat dispersed traffic volume, National Route 2 continues to function as a practical means of inter-regional connectivity and local transportation.
Today, National Route 2 is contributing to easing urban congestion through expansion and bypass construction in some sections. It is also closely linked to the government's South Coast Tourist Road Development Project. In this regard, National Route 2 is expected to continue to hold strategic importance for regional development and balanced national development.
IS: Intersection, IC: Interchange