Sejong, January 27- On January 24, the Ministry of Environment (ME, Minister Han Jeoung Ae) held a vision proclamation ceremony for integrated water management at Soyanggang Dam Water Culture Center in Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do. The ME announced its water management policy during the ceremony. Under the vision of "water shared by nature and humans", the ME aims to "create new water value" to enhance the performance of river management. At the proclamation ceremony, the ME proposed three goals as the "new values of water": (1) The world's smartest water, (2) water for all generations, and (3) water for economic value creation.

Aimed at achieving these goals, the future key policies to be promoted by the ME are as follows.

1. The world's smartest water management

① Prediction of water-related disasters and establishment of a tailored response system

Using AI and digital technology, the ME will try to predict water-related disasters (floods and droughts) and manage dams and rivers in real-time and remotely. The ME will also expand related infrastructures to convert human flood forecasting into a more rapid forecast using AI from 2025. In addition, the ME will digitally convert information on dams and streams in the five major rivers of Korea (Hangang River, Nakdonggang River, Geumgang River, Yeongsangang River, and Seomjingang River) by 2027 to predict and respond to floods and droughts in advance.

② Real-time management of the water treatment process─from raw water to sewage and wastewater 

The ME will comprehensively manage the quantity and quality of water in real-time. By 2023, the ME will apply the smart water supply system to 161 local governments, 31 metropolitan water intake facilities, and 43 metropolitan water purification facilities nationwide. The system will enable the Ministry to monitor and control the quantity and quality of drinking water in real-time and ensure a stable, clean water supply.

③ Comprehensive management of surface water and groundwater, and nano-scale water quality management of national rivers

The ME will comprehensively manage surface water and groundwater. It will manage the water quality of national rivers nano-scale and establish an integrated water management system that meets the public's demand. The ME will establish a basis for comprehensive management by connecting the surface water, soil, and groundwater measurement networks.

2. Water management for all generations

① Improving rivers to serve as ecological and cultural attractions.  

The ME will improve rivers to serve cultural attractions where citizens can enjoy in various ways. 

② Water for human welfare

The ME will establish a basis to practically distribute water, focusing on governance. It will also resolve the water service delivery gap by pursuing the integration of waterworks. 

③ Restoration of river continuity

The ME will pursue restoring river continuity for all living things to coexist and enjoy benefits from water.

④ Production of renewable hydro-energy

In order to make water contribute to the transition toward carbon neutrality, the ME will expand renewable hydro-energy and expand carbon sinks around rivers. 

3. Water management to create economic value

① Qualitative changes in the domestic water industry by producing ultrapure water

The ME will localize original technologies related to water, such as ultrapure water. It plans to turn South Korea into the water industry powerhouse capable of entering advanced countries by localizing original technologies and fostering human resources. 

② Prepare for the world's top 20 items in materials, parts, and equipment

The ME will lay the foundation to pioneer the market for materials, parts, and equipment in the water sector by developing an ultrapure water processing technology and establishing a performance test site (testbed).

"With the transfer of river management tasks," said Minister Han, "the centralized water management system has been completed. The ME will do its best to achieve world-class smart water management by integrating water management with information, communications, and digital technology. We will maximize the various potentials of water so that everyone can enjoy the benefits. From disaster prevention to competitiveness enhancement of the water industry, the Ministry will lead to creating new water value." She also added, "We will make every effort to share the success of the projects in the Soyanggang River basin, such as the hydrothermal energy convergence cluster project and the ecological river restoration project, with other regions."