Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon delivers his speech at the 8th World  Water  Forum held in Brasilia, Brazil, on March 20. (Photos: P.M.Lee's Facebook)

Leaders who participated in the 8th World Water Forum held in Brasilia, Brazil, on March 18-23 pose for a photo session. Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon, 5th R, is in  the backrow.

Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-water) participated in the 8th World Water Forum held in Brasilia, Brazil, March 18-23. Some 310 water management-related organizations from some 40 countries around the world took part. The forum bas been held in every three years since 1997 to tackle various water-related problems. 

President Lee Hak-soo said Korea should let the world know of the country’s excellent water management capacities and spare no efforts to help Korean business firms take on and grow water management as part of their businesses, taking advantage of the global water management network that K-water has. The Asia Water Council, led by Chairman Lee Hak-soo of K-water, was formally admitted to the World Water Council. Now it can play a key role in solving water problems in Asia. 

The Asia Water Council was set up in 2016 by K-water and the Korean government and has some 26 countries as its members.

The 7th World Water Forum took place in Gyeongju, Korea, in 2015 with the main subject of Sharing Water and sideline events such as an Expo, citizens forum and others.

K-water displayed its technologies for SMART Water Management and Integrated Water Management and others in a bid to strengthen its cooperative ties with leading water management organizations in the world. K-water showed its water management technologies combined with ICT, IoT and other high-tech to boost safety, productivity and effectiveness in water management operations as well as intelligent water management technologies.

K-water led 11 of the 20 sessions in the forum to show off its water management technologies related to solving global water issues. Those included SMART water management, water and climate change  and sustainable water management, among others.

The World Water Council selected the city of Brasilia and the country of Brazil to welcome the 8th World Water Forum during its 51st Board of Governors meeting organized on in Gyeongju some four years ago. The selection followed a rigorous evaluation process and ended with a vote.

The vote is conditional upon the signature of an agreement between the World Water Council and the Government of Brazil, so as to specify the terms of their agreement. 

On the first day of the Board meeting, the Mayor of Gyeongju, gave a warm welcome to the Governors. He said his city was ready to contribute to the full success of the 7th World Water Forum. Gyeongju is situated in the Province of Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea, where the 7th World Water Forum was held from in April 2015.

The 8th edition of the Forum was co-organized by the Council and the newly elected host City and Country. The World Water Forum is the world’s largest water event that gathers international stakeholders every three years and aims to set water firmly on the international agenda. 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.