Deep sea water is found more than 200 m under the surface. As no sunlight reaches, no photosynthesis takes place, and it has very little organic matter or bacteria. In addition, deep sea water maintains a consistently low temperature throughout the year, and it does not mix with the water found closer to the surface, which means that its cleanliness is preserved. It is a long-term mature sea water resource that is rich in minerals. This paper examined the physical characteristics and the uses of deep sea water, a subject that has been attracting a great deal of public attention recently, together with the current status of domestic research into it and the direction of research in the USA and Japan, focusing on the existing literature. The aim of this paper was to provide are source to researchers in the field. Since the 1970s, scientists around the world have recognized the importance of deep sea water, and have been conducting research into it. In the USA, deep sea water has been researched with the view of its application to cooling, alternative energy, farming, and the development of new materials. In Japan, about 10 local self-governing bodies are currently promoting research and business relating to deep sea water, which has resulted in a number of products that have been released to the market. In Korea, the ministry of land transport and marine affairs has been studying deep sea water since 2000, and full-scale national R&D projects have been performed by 24 organizations, including KORDI, through industrial/academic cooperation. Large companies are participating in deep sea water research projects in several ways. A study of data foundusing NDSL relating to domestic studies of deep sea water found 50 theses, 177 domestic patents, 6 analyses, 2 reports, and 2 etc. in other areas.