한국의 온천과 온천문화

Since ancient times, hot springs in Korea have been widely used by patients with skin diseases, neuralgia, and gastrointestinal diseases. In the case of the Onyang hot springs, the history of development is the oldest in Korea. Not only the commoners but also the kings of the Joseon Dynasty often visited these hot springs for treatment. In modern times, with the enactment of the Hot Springs Act in 1981, 15 hot spring districts have been designated, and hot spring development has progressed rapidly since. In Korea, all hot water above 25 degrees Celsius is recognized as a hot spring. Unlike Japan, where the Hot Spring Act was enacted in 1948, it was not enacted in Korea until 1981, and the definition of a hot spring was finally established. The Hot Springs Act was established as a preventive measure due to the reckless development of hot springs during increased industrialization. In addition to the differences in hot spring culture in Japan compared to Korea, there are also many differences in hot spring facilities, but also in the amount of hot spring water discharged, which is a shame about our current hot spring use. In this study, the current status of hot springs in Korea is investigated, and accordingly, the method of using hot springs and the hot spring culture are identified. Investigating how to use hot springs in Korea will be the basic foundation for researching treatments and applications using hot springs. There are many records of hot spring baths left in the records, from kings and nobles to commoners. Since ancient times, hot spring bathing has been an essential part of Korean culture. This hot spring culture has been established as a concept of hot spring treatment beyond simple skin scrubs. However, skin scrubs have suddenly become the center of a more modernized hot spring culture rather than just bathing. This is evident from the data from the hot spring report we examined earlier. I think that valuable hot spring resources across the country should be utilized as an active concept of recreation and rehabilitation.