The global water market is growing fast, aided by the building of infrastructure to cope with climate change.
The UK water market survey institution Global Water Intelligence (GWI) estimated the losses, caused by global water disasters for the next decade, at 2,400 trillion won and concluded that the market for securing a stabile water supply will emerge as a big investment area.
Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-water) is stepping up its competitiveness in the global water market by going global, ranging from Official Development Assistance (ODA) and investment projects.
Starting with the Bunting River basin survey project in China in 1993, K-water is contributing to solving water issues of developing countries by participating in 18 projects worth a combined 107.3 billion won as of 2024.
As for investment projects, K-water is participating in four hydropower projects in five countries, including the Patrind hydropower project in Pakistan, launched in 2012, and the corporation is to involve two tap water projects.
K-water has already not only earned 1 trillion won in sales through overseas investment projects, but the corporation is also carrying out responsibilities as a public entity anchor, which contributes to promoting joint overseas market entry with Korean companies and implementing government policies of expanding green industry exports.
K-water is spearheading efforts to address global water issues through international cooperation by expanding global networks it has accumulated through overseas business projects, while contributing to Korean companies’ overseas market entry.
The Asia Water Council (AWC), Asia’s largest international water cooperation platform, was established through the initiative of K-water and the Korean government in 2016.
The organization now counts as members 168 institutions from 25 countries. AWC become an institution certified by the United Nations in Augst 2022.
Since K-water President Yun Seog-dae took office as AWC chairman in July 2024, AWC has grown into a platform of cooperation and alliance to solve global water issues beyond Aisa.
K-water, an AWC chairmanship company, participated in the 3rd Asia International Water Week (AIWW) that took place in September 2024 and held a special session in which the corporation introduced innovative technologies to cope with climate change and promote digital transformation for water management and stressed the importance of climate tech.
At that time, K-water President Yun discussed detailed ways of promoting the Korean water industry’s overseas market entry and cooperation in the water, energy and urban sectors by holding high-level consultations with China’s water minister, president of the Saudi Water Authority and vice chairman of the American Water and Wastewater Association.
The Korea-Mekong Water Center, established by K-water in January 2020, is spearheading efforts to promote cooperation for sustainable water management with five basin countries of the Mekong River, such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
In particular, the center has been holding the Korea-Mekong Water Management Forum, a specialized water diplomatic platform in the Mekong area, thus not only continuing partnerships with Mekong region countries but also expanding partnerships with major countries of the India-Pacific region, such as the United States.
Furthermore, K-water is exploring government policy projects in the Mekong region based on the cooperative platform, ODA, MDB and other cooperation projects with international organizations and spearheading Korean water companies’ overseas market entry in conjunction with follow-up projects.
K-water has been laying foothold for green industry exports by performing international cooperation projects, such as ODA in the environment and climate sectors as the corporation was also selected as an institution responsible for green ODA in the water sector related to the International Environmental Cooperation Center (IECC) in 2022 and an entity charged with international greenhouse gas emission reduction in 2023.
K-water’s enhanced global standing through its exclusive international cooperation networks has begun to bear fruits like global country heads’ proposals for cooperation projects.
K-water’s innovative water management technologies, which was unveiled during the World Water Forum that took place in May 2025 has been highlighted as solutions for global water issues, such as floods, drought and abnormal water quality.
The three “super difference” water management technologies are the digital twin water management platform, dubbed “Digital GARAM+,” AI purification plant and the Smart Water Network Management (SWNM).
Through the digital innovation technologies supporting optimal decision-making through on technology data-based prediction, K-water has been implementing cooperation projects with Asian countries like a digital twin platform buildup project in Saudi Arabia, the Karian-Serpong Regional Water Supply PPP Project in Indonesia and the smart water management system project in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Countries have been stepping up efforts to secure an upper hand in the global climate tech market.
K-water plans to explore cooperation projects based on super difference technologies to leverage its global influence in the global water market, contribute to addressing global water issues and spearhead efforts to help the Korean water industry lead the green market.
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