We have isolated 65 strains(2.0%) of Y. enterocolitica among 3,219 water samples from 380 spring water sites in Seoul from 1994 to 1999. The biochemical characteristics of isolated strains revealed that TSI was A/A, urea, M.R.($37^{circ}C$), nitrate, motility($37^{circ}C$), sorbitol, maltose, manitol, arabinose, mannose, trehalose, xylose were positive(100%) and H$_2$S, arginine, lysine, oxidase, citrate, V.P.($37^{circ}C$), DNase, motility($37^{circ}C$), dulcitol, adonitol, lactose and raffinose were negative(100%). In in vitro virulence test, positive rate of AAG and CRMOX were 9.2% and 4.6%, respectively. However in the virulence gene detectable gene detectable test by multiplex-PCR using ail, yst, virF genes, 65 strains were all negative, meaning that Y.enterocolitica strains from domestic spring water were not detected for the virulence. Otherwise, mutiplex-PCR which using ail, yst and subgenus-specific primer pair was the best for identifying the virulence of Y. enterocolitica.