Can Yuseong Hot Springs Become the Eureka Hot Springs of Science?

The New Possibilities of Yuseong Hot Springs: A Harmony of Science and Relaxation In Daejeon’s Yuseong District lies the Daedeok Research and Development Special Zone, a cradle of South Korea's scientific and technological research.

Daejeon has developed into a hub city for transportation since the opening of the Gyeongbu Line railway in 1905. It has established itself as a central point for national transportation, and Yuseong Hot Springs has been developed as a popular leisure destination attracting tourists from across the country. In 1973, the government established the Daedeok Research Complex to carry out national research projects. Interestingly, this complex is located very close to Yuseong Hot Springs, where national research institutes and corporate research centers were built on a large scale.

Archimedes and Baths: Daedeok Scientists and Yuseong Hot Springs Around 200 BC, during the Greco-Roman era, the scientist Archimedes from Syracuse received a royal command to determine the ratio of gold in a crown. After pondering the solution for several days, he suddenly had an epiphany while taking a bath. Overjoyed by his discovery, he ran out into the street without even dressing, exclaiming "Eureka!" Might the scientists in Daedeok have also found inspiration and breakthroughs while soothing their minds and bodies at Yuseong Hot Springs? Scientists at the Daedeok Research Complex have frequently utilized Yuseong Hot Springs. Many have testified that soaking in the springs has helped relieve their physical and mental fatigue, thus enhancing their research activities. Dr. Kwak Sang-soo from Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology(25th President of the Korean Society for Plant Biotechnology) stated, "I have been using the public bath at Yuseong Hotel for over 20 years. When foreign friends from Japan, China, or the UK visit, we hike up Gyeryongsan and go to the hot springs in the evening." For Dr. Kwak, Yuseong Hot Springs served as a place for building closer relationships.

Dr. Ha Won-kyu, a veteran who served as the head of the Future Technology Strategy Research Team at the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, reminisced, "On weekends, I would relieve my fatigue in the sauna at Libera Hotel. I used the hotel's coffee shop like my study, enjoying coffee or draft beer while brainstorming research ideas or reading. After many years of using it, I feel like both the Libera Hotel and the culture and atmosphere of Yuseong Hot Springs have disappeared due to its closure and the Covid pandemic." For scientists, Yuseong Hot Springs is not just a place for bathing. Other researchers mentioned that since the establishment of the Daedeok Research Complex in the 1980s, they frequently visited Yuseong Hot Springs with colleagues or seniors. They used to relax their minds and bodies in the hot springs when research did not progress well. It was said that scientists even referred to Yuseong Hot Springs as the "Eureka Hot Springs."

In the Yuseong Hot Springs area, there are hotels and motels that operate using hot spring water. In 2005, the Daedeok Research Complex was renamed the Daedeok Research and Development Special Zone. This special zone is located adjacent to KAIST and Chungnam National University, separated by the urban river Yuseongcheon. Today, Yuseong is becoming a city of scientific entrepreneurship, with active research and development as well as startup activities. Research institutions, along with KAIST and Chungnam National University, are leading this initiative, supported by Daejeon City, Yuseong District, and the Korea Startup Promotion Agency, fostering active participation from private enterprises. Yuseong's startup ecosystem is a representative case of regional innovation in South Korea and has attracted interest from financial capital in Yeouido.

Yuseong District must revitalize and activate the Yuseong Hot Springs area. It would be wonderful if anyone, not just scientists and entrepreneurs, could find relief and solutions in the hot springs when faced with problems in business, study, or life. Furthermore, Yuseong Hot Springs, located next to the research and development special zone, can establish itself as a healing district for citizens and scientists, providing urban welfare. Yuseong District and Daejeon City should strategically promote the expansion of cultural hot spring facilities and the development of related areas. It is hoped that Yuseong Hot Springs can become a "Eureka District," inspiring vitality and creativity for both citizens and the scientific community. source : WalkintoKorea - Your Glocal Partner(http://www.walkintokorea.com)