VisitKorea Wellness Tourism MCP Server

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that wraps the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) Wellness Tourism Open API (WellnessTursmService), exposing 9 structured tools that AI agents — including Claude, Manus AI, and any MCP-compatible client — can call directly via Streamable HTTP. Supports 7 wellness themes and 9 languages.

Live endpoint: https://<your-replit-url>/mcp

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Features

• Area-based search — list wellness tourism spots by province, city, or district
• Location-based search — find spots within a GPS radius (up to 20 km), with distance sorting
• Keyword search — full-text search in Korean, English, and other languages
• 7 wellness theme filters — Hot spring/Spa, Jjimjilbang, Traditional medicine, Healing meditation, Beauty spa, Nature healing, Other wellness
• Multilingual support — 9 languages: Korean, English, Japanese, Simplified/Traditional Chinese, German, French, Spanish, Russian
• Sync list — full dataset synchronisation list for building and maintaining local databases
• Detail records — common info, intro info (type-specific), repeating structured info, and image galleries
• 9 MCP tools — one per API operation, with full parameter documentation in docstrings
• Stateless transport — every request is self-contained; no session state, no expiry issues
• Security hardened — rate limiting (60 req/min per IP), security headers (CSP, X-Frame-Options), API key log redaction

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Prerequisites

• Python 3.11+
• A KTO Open API key from data.go.kr (Service ID: 15144030)

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Installation & Setup

1. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/leejaew/visitkorea-wellnesstourism-mcp.git
cd visitkorea-wellnesstourism-mcp

2. Install dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Obtain your API key

1. Visit https://www.data.go.kr/data/15144030/openapi.do
2. Sign in or create a 공공데이터포털 account
3. Click 활용신청 (Request API access) for the WellnessTursmService
4. After approval (~10 minutes), go to My Page and copy your 일반 인증키 (Encoding) key

4. Set the environment variable

export WELLNESS_API_KEY_ENCODING="your_url_encoded_key_here"

On Replit, add it to Secrets (not environment variables) under the key name WELLNESS_API_KEY_ENCODING.

The key from data.go.kr is already URL-encoded (contains %2B, %2F, etc.). Use that value as-is — do not decode or re-encode it.

5. Run the server

cd artifacts/wellness-mcp
python main.py

The server starts on the port specified by the PORT environment variable (defaults to 8080).

URL	Purpose
http://localhost:8080/	Developer landing page
http://localhost:8080/mcp	MCP Streamable HTTP endpoint

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Connecting AI Agents

Manus AI

In Manus AI's connector settings, add a custom MCP server:

Field	Value
Type	streamable-http
URL	https://<your-replit-url>/mcp
Authentication	None

Claude Desktop / Other MCP clients

Paste into your client's MCP configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "visitkorea-wellnesstourism": {
      "type": "streamable-http",
      "url": "https://<your-replit-url>/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Replace the URL with your own deployed endpoint if you forked the repository.

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Tool Reference

Tool 1 — get_legal_district_codes

Retrieve legal administrative district (법정동) codes for province/city and district filtering.

Upstream endpoint: GET /ldongCode

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
lang_div_cd	string	Optional	Language code (default: KOR)
num_of_rows	int	Optional	Results per page (default: 10)
page_no	int	Optional	Page number (default: 1)
l_dong_regn_cd	string	Optional	Province/city code (e.g. 11 = Seoul). Omit to list all provinces.
l_dong_list_yn	string	Optional	N = 시도/시군구 codes (default); Y = full 법정동 list

---

Tool 2 — search_wellness_by_area

List wellness tourism spots filtered by region, content type, and wellness theme.

Upstream endpoint: GET /areaBasedList

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
lang_div_cd	string	Optional	Language code (default: KOR)
num_of_rows	int	Optional	Results per page (default: 10)
page_no	int	Optional	Page number (default: 1)
arrange	string	Optional	Sort order — A/C/D (no image required); O/Q/R (image required)
content_type_id	string	Optional	Content type ID (see reference table)
mdfcn_dt	string	Optional	Modified date filter in YYMMDD format
l_dong_regn_cd	string	Optional	Province/city code
l_dong_signgu_cd	string	Optional	District code (requires l_dong_regn_cd)
wellness_thema_cd	string	Optional	Wellness theme code (see reference table)

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Tool 3 — search_wellness_by_location

Find wellness spots within a GPS radius of a point in South Korea, sorted by proximity.

Upstream endpoint: GET /locationBasedList

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
map_x	float	Required	GPS longitude (WGS84) e.g. 126.9780
map_y	float	Required	GPS latitude (WGS84) e.g. 37.5665
radius	int	Required	Search radius in metres — maximum 20000
lang_div_cd	string	Optional	Language code (default: KOR)
num_of_rows	int	Optional	Results per page (default: 10)
arrange	string	Optional	E = nearest first (no image); S = nearest first (image required)
content_type_id	string	Optional	Content type ID
wellness_thema_cd	string	Optional	Wellness theme code

Response includes a dist field on each item showing the distance in metres from the search point.

---

Tool 4 — search_wellness_by_keyword

Full-text keyword search across all wellness tourism content.

Upstream endpoint: GET /searchKeyword

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
keyword	string	Required	Search term in Korean or English (e.g. "스파", "spa")
lang_div_cd	string	Optional	Language code (default: KOR)
num_of_rows	int	Optional	Results per page (default: 10)
page_no	int	Optional	Page number (default: 1)
arrange	string	Optional	Sort order
content_type_id	string	Optional	Content type ID
l_dong_regn_cd	string	Optional	Province/city code
wellness_thema_cd	string	Optional	Wellness theme code

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Tool 5 — get_wellness_sync_list

Retrieve the full dataset synchronisation list — designed for building and maintaining a local copy of the wellness tourism data.

Upstream endpoint: GET /wellnessTursmSyncList

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
lang_div_cd	string	Optional	Language code (default: KOR)
num_of_rows	int	Optional	Results per page (default: 10)
page_no	int	Optional	Page number (default: 1)
showflag	string	Optional	1 = publicly visible records only; 0 = hidden records
mdfcn_dt	string	Optional	Modified date filter in YYMMDD format
old_content_id	string	Optional	Delta sync — retrieve records after this content ID
wellness_thema_cd	string	Optional	Wellness theme code

Returns the same summary fields as search_wellness_by_area, plus showflag and oldContentId.

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Tool 6 — get_wellness_common_info

Fetch the complete common detail record for a single venue: title, address, GPS, phone, overview, homepage, copyright type.

Upstream endpoint: GET /detailCommon

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
content_id	string	Required	Content ID from a search result (e.g. "702551")
lang_div_cd	string	Optional	Language code (default: KOR)
num_of_rows	int	Optional	Results per page (default: 10)
page_no	int	Optional	Page number (default: 1)

The homepage field may contain raw HTML anchor tags — extract the URL before displaying.

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Tool 7 — get_wellness_intro_info

Fetch type-specific introductory details (hours, parking, rest days, capacity, credit card info). Response fields vary by content_type_id.

Upstream endpoint: GET /detailIntro

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
content_id	string	Required	Content ID
content_type_id	string	Required	Must match the contentTypeId from the search result
lang_div_cd	string	Optional	Language code (default: KOR)
num_of_rows	int	Optional	Results per page (default: 10)
page_no	int	Optional	Page number (default: 1)

For tourist attractions (type 12 / 76) returns: accomcount, chkcreditcard, expagerange, expguide, infocenter, opendate, parking, restdate, useseason, usetime.

---

Tool 8 — get_wellness_repeating_info

Fetch repeating structured info items: entrance fees, facilities, amenities, accessibility features, reservation guidance.

Upstream endpoint: GET /detailInfo

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
content_id	string	Required	Content ID
content_type_id	string	Required	Must match the venue's category
lang_div_cd	string	Optional	Language code (default: KOR)
num_of_rows	int	Optional	Results per page (default: 10)
page_no	int	Optional	Page number (default: 1)

Returns a list of items each with infoname, infotext, serialnum, fldgubun. Note: this endpoint returns contentid and contenttypeid in lowercase (unlike other endpoints which use camelCase).

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Tool 9 — get_wellness_images

Retrieve all image URLs and copyright types for a specific venue.

Upstream endpoint: GET /detailImage

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
content_id	string	Required	Content ID
lang_div_cd	string	Optional	Language code (default: KOR)
num_of_rows	int	Optional	Results per page (default: 10)
page_no	int	Optional	Page number (default: 1)
image_yn	string	Optional	Y = venue photos (default); N = food/menu images (restaurants only)

Returns per image: orgImage (~500×333 px), thumbImage (~150×100 px), cpyrhtDivCd, imgname, serialnum.

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Reference Tables

Wellness Theme Codes

Code	English	Korean
EX050100	Hot spring / Sauna / Spa	온천/사우나/스파
EX050200	Jjimjilbang (Korean sauna)	찜질방
EX050300	Korean traditional medicine	한방 체험
EX050400	Healing meditation	힐링 명상
EX050500	Beauty spa	뷰티 스파
EX050600	Other wellness	기타 웰니스
EX050700	Nature healing	자연 치유

Language Codes

Code	Language
KOR	Korean (한국어) — default; most complete dataset
ENG	English
JPN	Japanese (日本語)
CHS	Chinese Simplified (简体中文)
CHT	Chinese Traditional (繁體中文)
GER	German (Deutsch)
FRE	French (Français)
SPN	Spanish (Español)
RUS	Russian (Русский)

Content Type IDs

content_type_id values differ between Korean and multilingual responses.

Category	Korean (KOR)	Multilingual (ENG, JPN, etc.)
Tourist attraction	12	76
Cultural facility	14	78
Event / festival	15	85
Leisure sports	28	75
Accommodation	32	80
Shopping	38	79
Restaurant	39	82
Travel course	25	Korean only
Transport	Korean only	77

Most wellness venues are classified as tourist attraction (12 for Korean, 76 for multilingual).

Province Codes (common)

Code	Region
11	Seoul (서울)
21	Busan (부산)
22	Daegu (대구)
23	Incheon (인천)
31	Gyeonggi-do (경기)
32	Gangwon-do (강원)
37	Gyeongsangbuk-do (경북)
38	Gyeongsangnam-do (경남)
39	Jeju Island (제주)

Use get_legal_district_codes() (no parameters) to retrieve all 17 province codes, or pass a province code to get its district (시군구) codes.

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Usage Examples

Find hot spring spas near Busan Station

search_wellness_by_location(
    map_x=129.0319, map_y=35.1148,
    radius=5000,
    wellness_thema_cd="EX050100",
    arrange="E",
    lang_div_cd="ENG"
)

Search for spas in Seoul (English)

search_wellness_by_area(
    l_dong_regn_cd="11",
    wellness_thema_cd="EX050100",
    lang_div_cd="ENG",
    num_of_rows=10
)

Keyword search

search_wellness_by_keyword(keyword="스파", lang_div_cd="KOR", num_of_rows=5)
search_wellness_by_keyword(keyword="spa", lang_div_cd="ENG", num_of_rows=5)

Full venue detail retrieval

# 1. Get common info (address, overview, GPS, phone)
get_wellness_common_info(content_id="702551", lang_div_cd="ENG")

# 2. Get operational details (hours, parking, rest days)
get_wellness_intro_info(content_id="702551", content_type_id="76", lang_div_cd="ENG")

# 3. Get fees and facilities
get_wellness_repeating_info(content_id="702551", content_type_id="76", lang_div_cd="ENG")

# 4. Get photos
get_wellness_images(content_id="702551", lang_div_cd="ENG")

---

Project Structure

artifacts/wellness-mcp/
├── main.py                  # Replit entrypoint — Starlette app, rate limiting, security headers, lifespan
├── server.py                # FastMCP server definition with 9 registered tool wrappers
├── api/
│   ├── __init__.py          # Re-exports WellnessClient, WellnessAPIError
│   ├── config.py            # BASE_URL, HTTP timeout constants, shared httpx client factory
│   ├── cache.py             # TTL response cache with per-key stampede locks
│   ├── validation.py        # Allowed-value sets and parameter guard functions
│   ├── parser.py            # WellnessAPIError, JSON/XML response normaliser
│   └── client.py            # WellnessClient — async httpx client with 9 API methods
├── tools/
│   ├── __init__.py          # Re-exports all 9 tool functions
│   ├── catalog.py           # get_legal_district_codes, get_wellness_sync_list
│   ├── search.py            # search_wellness_by_area/location/keyword
│   └── detail.py            # get_wellness_common/intro/repeating_info, get_wellness_images
├── static/
│   ├── index.html           # Developer landing page
│   └── favicon.png          # Server icon
├── requirements.txt
├── MANUS_INSTRUCTIONS.md    # Detailed usage guide for Manus AI agents
├── README.md
└── LICENSE

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Dependencies

mcp[cli]>=1.0.0      # MCP SDK (tested with 1.27.0)
httpx>=0.27.0        # Async HTTP client for upstream API calls (tested with 0.28.1)
starlette>=0.37.0    # ASGI framework for routing and middleware (tested with 1.0.0)
uvicorn>=0.29.0      # ASGI server (tested with 0.44.0)
uvloop>=0.19.0       # Optional: faster event loop (tested with 0.22.1; falls back gracefully)

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Transport & Protocol Notes

This server uses MCP Streamable HTTP transport with two non-default settings:

Setting	Value	Reason
json_response	True	Clients such as Manus AI send Accept: application/json only. SSE/streaming mode requires both application/json and text/event-stream in the Accept header and returns HTTP 406 otherwise. JSON mode removes this requirement.
stateless_http	True	Gateway-style clients enumerate tools at connector setup time and execute tool calls much later. Stateful sessions are lost whenever the server restarts, causing "Session not found" errors. Stateless mode makes every request fully self-contained — no session IDs are issued or required.

The server is compatible with any MCP 2025-03-26 client that sends Accept: application/json.

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Security

Feature	Details
Rate limiting	60 requests per 60 seconds per IP on /mcp; returns HTTP 429 with Retry-After
Security headers	Content-Security-Policy, X-Content-Type-Options, X-Frame-Options, Referrer-Policy
API key redaction	serviceKey= is replaced with [REDACTED] in all uvicorn access and error logs
Cache stampede protection	Per-key asyncio.Lock prevents multiple concurrent upstream calls for the same request

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Important Usage Notes

Note	Detail
content_type_id differs by language	Tourist attractions are 12 for KOR but 76 for ENG/JPN/etc. Using the wrong ID returns empty results, not an error.
GPS radius hard limit	radius for search_wellness_by_location must not exceed 20000 metres.
District code dependency	l_dong_signgu_cd is ignored by the API unless l_dong_regn_cd is also provided.
content_type_id is required	Both get_wellness_intro_info and get_wellness_repeating_info require content_type_id. Always read it from the search result and pass it through.
Homepage field may contain HTML	The homepage field from get_wellness_common_info sometimes contains raw <a href="..."> tags. Extract the URL before displaying.
Korean data is most complete	Multilingual datasets may have fewer records or missing fields. If English returns no results, retry with lang_div_cd="KOR".
Pagination	Default num_of_rows is 10. Increase to 50–100 for broader searches. Use totalCount with pageNo to traverse multiple pages.

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Contributing

Contributions are welcome. Please open an issue before submitting a pull request. Ensure all changes are tested against the live API and that no API keys are committed to the repository.

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License

MIT License — © 2026 leejaew. See LICENSE for full text.

Tourism data provided by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) via the 공공데이터포털 open API platform. Data usage is subject to KTO terms — attribution is required for Type1 content; Type3 content additionally prohibits modification.