K-water helps strengthen Cambodia’s water security
K-water helps strengthen Cambodia’s water security
Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-water) is strengthening its role as a key partner in Cambodia’s water security. This commitment was underscored during a meeting between K-water CEO Yun Seog-dae and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet in Phnom Penh on Friday, where they discussed detailed plans for cooperation in water management and other areas of development.
Cambodia depends heavily on the Mekong River for its economic development. As a shared waterway spanning six countries, including China and Laos, the management of the Mekong’s water is influenced by the policies of neighboring nations. This creates vulnerabilities, particularly during droughts and floods.
In response to these challenges, the Cambodian government has made efficient water resource management a priority. To this end, it has been collaborating with K-water to develop comprehensive strategies.
The Cambodian prime minister visited Korea last May and met Yun, who explained K-water’s National Integrated Water Management and New Prosperity project, which aims to provide integrated water resource management, including disaster prevention and sustainable development, through advanced planning and technology.
The latest meeting, coming shortly after the formal establishment of a strategic partnership between the two nations, highlights the central role of water management in their growing economic collaboration.
During the discussion, K-water emphasized its role in supporting Cambodia’s efforts to prevent water-related disasters through a comprehensive national water management plan. This expands on a previous agreement from November, which focused on developing renewable energy complexes at 16 Cambodian dams and now includes broader national water management initiatives.
The two leaders also
explored the potential use of Korea’s water resources satellite, which Korea eyes for launch as early as late this year, to enhance climate response systems. Developed as part of a national research and development project by the Ministry of Environment, the satellite will monitor water disasters, river environment changes and water availability, providing real-time data regardless of weather conditions or time of day.
Manet expressed his appreciation for K-water’s proposals and highlighted the importance of the Mekong-Stung Sen River project. In turn, Yun reaffirmed K-water’s commitment to supporting Cambodia’s needs and pledged to apply the company’s expertise in water, energy and urban development to tackle shared water challenges.
