A camping site at night (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 13 (Korea Bizwire) – Hot spring bathing in South Korea will soon extend beyond traditional bathhouses to camping and glamping sites, following new regulatory changes approved by the government.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on November 12 that the Cabinet had passed amendments to the Hot Springs Act enforcement decree, aimed at revitalizing hot spring development and increasing autonomy for local governments and businesses in hot spring operations.
Under the current regulations, hot spring water usage is limited to public drinking, public bathhouses, accommodation businesses, heating and energy facilities, and certain industrial and public facilities.
The new amendments will add camping businesses to the list of permitted facilities, responding to growing demand from the camping industry, which has seen substantial growth in recent years.
The regulatory changes also increase the daily groundwater extraction limit within hot spring protection zones from 30 tons to 45 tons. Additionally, local governments will now be able to modify hot spring protection zone boundaries by up to 20% of the total area without requiring provincial governor approval, double the previous 10% limit.
“We will continue to improve regulations to contribute to local economic development by promoting healthy and smooth development of hot springs in various ways,” said Kim Min-jae, Deputy Minister of the Interior and Safety.
The amendments are scheduled to take effect upon their promulgation on November 19.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
