Sharing the Achievements of Integrated Water Management

Held on March 22, World Water Day was established and commemorated by the UN to prevent water scarcity and pollution and to remind the world of its importance. Korea joined the initiative in 1995, and since then has been held an annual ceremony to recognize and raise awareness of the importance of water and stand shoulder to shoulder with the international community.
The ceremony was broadcast live on YouTube in the presence of Han Jeong-ae, Minister of Environment, Huh Jae-young, Chair of the National Water Management Committee, Jeong Kyung-yoon, Vice-President of K-water, and Park Dae-chul, Chair of the Environment and Labor Committee of the National Assembly.
This year, Korea held the ceremony under the banner of ‘Water for One, Water for the Life of Nature and People’. This is the first year of integrated water management, including river management and water quality and quantity, which aims to ensure that nature and people can enjoy clean water anytime, anywhere. It is an extended concept of the UN’s slogan for World Water Day 2022, ‘Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible'. So far, through integrated water management, we have established the national basic plan for water management covering overall water management, built smart waterworks that manage the quality of drinking water in real time, and achieved carbon neutrality by realizing renewable energy using water resources, such as organic bioenergy.
Based on these achievements, we plan to focus on policies for the smartest water management in the world, water for every generation and for all life, and water to create economic value. During the ceremony, government awards were presented to various people and organizations in recognition of their contribution to the development of the water industry.

To respond to water disasters such as extreme flooding and
drought caused by the climate crisis effectively, scientific
countermeasures incorporating cutting-edge technology are
urgently required.
First of all, we must implement immediate evacuation measures
in areas that
are prone to frequent flooding by applying AI, and make
decisions by applying digital twin technology in densely populated
areas near the country’s five major rivers.

Communicating the Future Vision with the People

The ceremony also included the Town Hall Meeting in which Han Jeong-ae, Minister of Environment, Jeong Kyung-yoon, Vice-President of K-water, and policy officials listened and responded to policy suggestions concerning the creation of new values for water with the public.
The Chairman of the Four River Basin Water Management Committee discussed current water management issues in each basin, and listened to the opinions of diverse people including experts and businessmen in various fields.
Regarding the water management issues of each basin, the participants in the meeting discussed ways of resolving water shortage issues in Gangwon-do Province, how to control algae in the Nakdonggang River in summer, how to deal with drought in west Chungnam Province, and how to solve water distribution and independence issues in the Yeongsangang River basin.
In addition, they had a meaningful time listening to and considering suggestions from the public on four main topics, namely carbon neutrality, recovery of the ecosystem, development of the water industry, and the response to water disasters, with a view to creating a future vision.
Environment Minister Han Jeong-ae said, “This will become a milestone in the creation and adoption of water management policies that encompass people, nature, and future generations. Please pay attention to our environmental policies, including water management, from this day forward”.