The Ministry of Environment (Minister Kim Wansup) announced that it will hold the ‘Invitation Training Program on Integrated Water and Resource Circulation Policy for Latin American Countries’ in Korea from June 23 to 27, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the UNESCO International Centre for Water Security and Sustainable Management (i-WSSM).

This invitation training program was organized to share Korea’s policies and technologies with Latin American countries facing complex environmental issues such as climate change, urbanization, increasing water demand, and underdeveloped resource circulation systems, and to support the overseas expansion of Korean environmental companies.

The program will be attended by 15 participants, including high-ranking officials (such as vice ministers) from four Latin American countries (Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic) as well as experts from the IDB Water and Sanitation Division. It will begin with a policy and technology seminar on June 23 at The Plaza Hotel (located in Jung-gu, Seoul), followed by visits to key sites related to water and resource circulation policies in Seoul, Incheon, and Daejeon.

In Latin America, demand for clean water resources continues to rise due to climate change and urbanization, and there is a growing need for improvements in policies and technologies related to the discharge of inadequately treated wastewater and waste into public water bodies. 

In particular, common issues among the four Latin American countries include: establishing infrastructure for the supply of safe drinking water; improving water supply efficiency by preventing leakage; enhancing public hygiene through wastewater and sewage discharge management; expanding solid waste landfill facilities; and developing proper waste management measures.

At the policy and technology seminar, Korea’s water and resource circulation policies and key technologies that can address these common issues in the four Latin American countries will be introduced. Representatives from the four countries will present their national challenges, policy directions, and upcoming project plans. This will help enhance mutual understanding for practical cooperation between Korea and Latin America.

Following this, a series of customized one-on-one meetings (G2B) will be held between 18 Korean environmental companies and institutions and key government agencies from Latin America responsible for water and waste infrastructure projects. These meetings are based on a prior survey of cooperation interests among Latin American organizations. Through this, Korean companies and institutions are expected to identify the technologies and projects actually needed in the Latin American market, discuss detailed implementation plans, and link these to potential contract opportunities.

In addition, the Ministry of Environment has organized site visits to allow high-level Latin American policymakers to directly experience Korea’s water management and resource circulation policies, aiming to increase the potential for Korean companies to participate in solving environmental issues in Latin America. The Latin American delegation is scheduled to visit: the Sinwol Deep Underground Rainwater Tunnel and Pumping Station (in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul), a facility for preventing urban flooding; the Jungnang Water Recycling Center (in Seongdong-gu, Seoul), which treats and reuses domestic wastewater; and Haneul (Sky) Park (in Mapo-gu, Seoul), a leading example of environmental regeneration where a former landfill was restored into an ecological park.

Kim Hyo-jung, Director General of Water Use Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Environment, stated, “Through this training program, we expect that Korea’s strengths in smart water network management technology, advanced sewerage technologies, and digitalization of waste management will contribute to entering the Latin American market.” She added, “We plan to identify and implement customized cooperation projects that can help solve local issues, based on the policy needs of the participating countries.”

For further information, please contact the Public Relations Division. 

Contact person: Gina Lee, foreign media spokesperson

Phone: +82-44-201-6055

Email: gcjgina @gmail.com