K-water, together with the Ministry of Environment, participated in the 10th World Water Forum, the largest global water event held from May 19 to 25 in Bali, Indonesia. This year’s theme was Water for Shared Prosperity.
As the operator of the K-water Pavilion and the South Korea Pavilion during the forum, K-water actively engaged in promoting products of Korean exporters and arranged for their business meetings with potential buyers. Also the chair of the Asia Water Council (AWC), K-water set up the AWC Pavilion and published Insight into Asian Water, a publication co-authored by water experts from 20 Asian countries and which plays a key role in providing an overview of the water environment in major Asian countries and presenting implications on how to tackle global water issues.
K-water also emphasized the need for a shift to a new paradigm of digital super-gap technology-based water management and provided an opportunity for countries to form a consensus. K-water president Yun Seog-dae delivered a keynote speech on K-water’s 3 key super-gap technologies including digital twin water management platform, AI water purification plant, and Smart Water Network Management (SWNM) as a new solution for responding to global climate crisis at the UN High-Level Experts and Leaders' Panel on Water and Disasters (UN HELP), the top global advisory council on water. The video detailing the three key technologies garnered positive reviews for providing practical and applicable solutions to countries experiencing difficulty with water management.
In a special session, K-water presented the three super-gap technologies and top 6 global leading technologies and highlighted its international cooperation efforts including the construction of a Korean-style decentralized water purification system in Ukraine as part of humanitarian aid to help rebuild the war-torn country; thus further enhancing its profile as a corporation committed to putting universal values into practice.

While global water problems including floods, droughts, and water quality and safety are exacerbating amid the intensifying climate crisis, the existing systems that depend on human experiences and infrastructure investment appear to be inadequate in coping with these problems. Against this backdrop, K-water suggests its 3 key super-gap technologies that integrate its water management knowhow into cutting-edge digital technology including AI, big data, and IoT as a new solution to water issues to lead a new paradigm of digital water management.

As a digital twin-based water management platform, Digital GARAM⁺ allows users to monitor weather conditions and floodgate data in real time and conduct simulations in a virtual 3D space where a replica of the real situation is created so as to help them make optimal decisions. This way, they can respond to crises promptly and accurately and secure the golden time for keeping water disasters under control.

The AI Water Purification Plant collects and analyzes real-time operational data of water purification plants including water volume and water quality for automated water purification via AI algorithm. The intelligent water purification plant is capable of optimal operation and diagnosis including optimization of power consumption via the smart energy management system, real-time fault detection through a predictive maintenance system, and workplace safety management using the intelligent video surveillance system.

Smart Water Network Management (SWNM) is a technology to create and operate a system that can respond proactively and promptly to accidents including water leaks and changes in water quality by integrating IoT and AI into the entire tap water supply process. It can save on production cost by reducing leaks through optimized water network management, secure stable water supply by keeping water pressure at optimal levels, and provide clean water through real-time water quality monitoring.