For technological cooperation in water control and management
President & CEO Choi Gye-woon of K-water met with Minister of Far Eastern Region Development Alexander Galushka of the Russian Federation in Moscow on Jan. 30, 2015, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) providing for technological cooperation between Korea and Russia in water resources management.
The Ministry of Far Eastern Region Development of Russia is a ministry which actively promotes international economic cooperation among the Northeast Asian countries and the main items of agreement concluded between this Ministry and K-Water includes Korean-Russian joint investigation of the water resources along the Tumen River on the side of Russia and flood control and management of the Amur River.
“Through this agreement on the technological cooperation between Korea and Russia in the development water resources,” said President Choi, “we have expanded the common ground of participation in the ‘Eurasia Initiatives’ of the Korean government.” “We will try to further widen the range of international cooperation in water resources management for our expansion of presence in the water resources market in the world.”
Then he said that Korea and Russia have agreed with each other to form a working-level team of each other at an early date, formulate promotion roadmaps consisting of different stages of development and prepare a detailed promotion plan with the delegation of Russia which is participating in the 7th World Water Forum slated in Dague in Korea in April this year.
President Cho also met on the same day with President EvgenyVyacheslavovichDod of RusHydeo (the largest hydro-electric plant in Russia) and concluded an MOU concerning cooperation in the development of new regeneration energy such as hydro and tidal power generation and comprehensive control and management of potable water and sewage facilities.
The following are details of an introduction of K-water by CEO Choi:
K-water has been a national leader in the economic development and living standard improvement through efficient water resources management since its foundation in 1967.Through the operation of 16 multi-purpose dams and integrated regional water supply systems, K-water manages half the national water supply facility capacity. As well, we operate 22 local water supply systems and are participating in the sewerage business.
Moreover, along with developing eco-friendly water front cities, K-water provides total water service that is unparalleled in the world as Korea’s representative state-owned water managing company.
In addition, as the No. 1 new renewable energy company in Korea, K-water provides 25% of the national facility capacity of renewable energy. The world’s largest tidal power plant, ‘Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Plant’ and the world first floating photovoltaic power generation system, ‘Hapcheon Dam Solar Power Generating System’ are renowned examples of K-water’s role in renewable energy.
Today, we are faced with an unprecedented number of global water-related challenges including water disasters derived from climate change and conflicts between stakeholders. As such, demand is growing to change current water management practices.
It is high time to transcend conventional water management practices including quantitative expansion, technological development of water treatment and rigid water quality management by adopting ICT based management for technological convergence with other fields and the integrated water management of basins covering water volume, quality and ecology in order to supply healthy and reliable tap water.
Rather than resting on its laurels, K-water seeks a new paradigm to transform conventional water management practices. To supply healthy tap water for the public, trial work in Paju City as Korea’s first Smart Water City has been successfully completed in 2014 and a follow-up project has commenced.
K-water has also aggressively advanced its overseas business since 1994. The corporation has recently taken over Philippine’s Angot dam and initiated commercial development of the dam since Nov.1st, 2014.
32 overseas projects in 21 nations, including the construction of Partrind Hydroelectric Dam in Pakistan, are currently undertaken.
In addition, K-water leads the way of conducting corporation social responsibility. To actualize water welfare, we operate desalination facilities in isolated islands and provide direct water supply to farming and fishing villages where safe and reliable water supply is restricted. We also fulfill our global duty by constructing water supply facilities in the remote villages in underdeveloped nations such as the Philippines and Laos.
K-water will endeavor to take the lead to solve global water issues. Through cohesive cooperation with other national governments, authorities, NGOs and residents, we will enable people to enjoy the benefits of clean and safe water. We also aim to steer the future water management paradigm by utilizing advanced technologies and water management experiences accumulated over a half century.
Merging conventional water supply technology with information communication technology (ICT), we will establish the best practice of Smart Water Grid by including smart water management that provides the final consumers with real-time information of water volume and quality from fountainheads.
Increasing investment and research in healthy water supply, integrated water management, adaptation strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change, efficient management of water disasters, we will do our best to make a happier world with water.