Busan's Dongnae Hot Spring Zone Designated the Country's Fourth 'Hot Spring City'

[Financial News] The area around Busan's Dongnae Hot Spring Zone has been designated the country's fourth 'Hot Spring City' in recognition of its potential to develop as an urban hot spring destination. The zone, which boasts a 1,400-year history, is regarded as having excellent hot spring resources and outstanding accessibility from the city center.
Busan City announced on the second that the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) designated the area around Dongnae District's Dongnae Hot Spring Zone as the country's fourth 'Hot Spring City' on the first.
A 'Hot Spring City' is an area designated by the Minister of the Interior and Safety to promote regional development and revitalize the local economy by fostering the hot spring industry, including hot spring tourism.
In 2023, three areas were designated as Hot Spring Cities: Suanbo Hot Springs in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province; Onyang Hot Springs in Asan, South Chungcheong Province; and Bugok Hot Springs in Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province.
Dongnae Hot Spring Zone is one of Busan's leading hot spring tourism resources, with a history of approximately 1,400 years dating back to the Three Kingdoms period. It features high-temperature hot spring water reaching up to 70.3°C and high-quality water containing silica.
Located in the city center, the zone offers excellent accessibility through convenient transportation networks, including Busan Subway Lines 1, 3 and 4 and the Donghae Nambu Line. Approximately 2 million people visit the area each year, drawn by its hot spring facilities and related infrastructure.
It is also located near natural, historical and cultural attractions such as Geumjeongsan National Park and Dongnae Eupseong Fortress. This gives the area the potential to develop into a destination for longer stays by linking its hot springs with surrounding tourist attractions.
Following the designation, the city plans to develop Dongnae Hot Springs into an urban hot spring tourism city that combines healing, relaxation, experiences and tourism, moving beyond conventional bath-centered hot spring tourism.
The city will build a Hot Spring Healing Center to provide specialized water-based healing services and establish an integrated hot spring experience facility so residents and tourists can enjoy hot springs in their daily lives. It also plans to expand tourism content and inject new vitality into the local economy by developing specialized branded products for Dongnae Hot Springs and holding the Dongnae Hot Spring Festival.
Mayor Chun Jae-soo said, "With this designation as an opportunity, we will expand healing, relaxation and tourism content that leverages Dongnae Hot Springs' strengths, and work to ensure that the revitalization of hot spring tourism leads to new vitality for the local economy."


[email protected] Kwon Byeong-seok Reporter