{
  "id": 11142575,
  "title": "Busan hot springs earns national 'spa city' status",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/busan-hot-springs-earns-national-spa-city-status-11142575",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-01T08:12:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/lifestyle/travel-food/20261001/busan-hot-springs-earns-national-spa-city-status"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Beneath the bustling streets of Busan, South Korea's second-largest metropolis, lie hot springs that have been bubbling up through granite for over 15 centuries. These natural thermal waters, reaching scalding temperatures of 70.3 degrees Celsius, have long been the subject of local legend, with tales of a wounded crane healing in the pools and taking flight again.\n\nOn Thursday, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety officially recognized the Dongnae Hot Springs District as one of the nation's four Spa Cities. This prestigious designation opens the door for local authorities to revamp the historic bathing quarter from a simple bathhouse destination to a cutting-edge urban wellness hub.\n\nThe decision was based on a thorough evaluation of Dongnae's redevelopment plans, which highlighted the unique combination of high-temperature mineral waters and the area's excellent connectivity. Situated right along Busan's main subway and regional rail lines, the district offers unparalleled accessibility to the city's inhabitants and visitors alike.",
  "summary": "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…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Busan hot springs earns national 'spa city' status",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/busan-hot-springs-earns-national-spa-city-status",
        "published": "2026-10-01T07:57:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}