Busan hot springs earns national 'spa city' status

Deep beneath the concrete and bustling avenues of Busan, Korea’s second-largest city, natural thermal waters registering a blistering 70.3 degrees Celsius have welled up through granite fissures for nearly fifteen centuries. Local folklore traces the springs back to the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C. — 936 A.D.), when an injured crane was said to have bathed in the steaming pools and flown away fully restored.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety officially recognized that heritage, Thursday, by designating the Dongnae Hot Springs District in Busan as the nation's fourth official "Spa City." The prestigious national status clears the path for municipal leaders to transform the historic bathing quarter from a traditional bathhouse hub into a modern urban wellness destination.

Following field inspections and expert evaluations of Dongnae’s redevelopment strategy, federal officials selected the district based on its rare combination of high-temperature mineral waters and exceptional urban accessibility. Located directly along Busan’s major subway and regional rail corridors, Dongnae already attracts approximately two million visitors each year.

The designation marks a broader effort by Korean authorities to revitalize local economies by leveraging natural resources for health tourism.

Unlike the country's three previously designated spa cities of Chungju, Asan and Changnyeong, which lean heavily on rural or suburban resort models, Dongnae represents Korea’s first true urban spa initiative.

Under the new strategic framework, Dongnae District's government plans to expand beyond traditional public bathhouses. Key infrastructure initiatives include the construction of a comprehensive spa healing center offering specialized aquatic therapy, alongside public thermal relaxation facilities designed for everyday integration into city life.

Local officials are also linking the hot springs with nearby nature reserves like Mount Geumjeong National Park, creating integrated ecotourism and outdoor wellness itineraries. To boost the local commercial sector, the district will launch branded regional products and expand its annual Dongnae Hot Springs Festival to attract both domestic and international visitors.

"Dongnae Hot Springs is expected to re-emerge as a premier urban destination that provides high-quality relaxation for both residents and visitors," said Jin Myeong-ki, head of the local innovation office at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. "The government will continue to support this urban spa model so it can serve as a strong foundation for local economic revitalization."

By blending 1,400 years of hydrotherapy tradition with contemporary wellness tourism, Busan city officials said they aim to build a sustainable commercial ecosystem that keeps one of Korea's oldest geothermal resources relevant in a modern metropolitan landscape.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.