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World Environment Day 2025

K-water Becomes a Guardian of the Environment

June 5 is World Environment Day as designated by the United Nations.
This year, K-water employees participated in the World Environment Day campaign themed “Beat Plastic Pollution.”

📝Text by. Editorial Office  /  💾Source. K-water

  • Celebrating World Environment Day with a “Plogging” Event
    World Environment Day 2025 will be held from June 2 to 5 in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. Established in 1972 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Environment Day is the largest international event focused on environmental awareness and action. Korea will host the official event for the first time in 28 years following the 1997 event in Seoul.

    This year’s theme is “#Beat Plastic Pollution” under the slogan “Shared Challenge, Collective Action.” The campaign calls for joint action to address plastic pollution, a global environmental issue.

    To support Korea’s successful hosting of the event, K-water has launched a series of environmental events and campaigns. As part of these efforts, employees at the headquarters and regional dam and weir sites participated in plogging—an eco-friendly activity that involves picking up litter while jogging—from April 23 to May 16. This was organized in conjunction with the global campaign theme.

    On May 12, approximately 50 K-water employees conducted a plogging session along Shindaecheon Stream near the headquarters. They collected discarded PET bottles and household waste, experiencing first-hand the seriousness of plastic pollution while contributing to environmental protection.
  • Leading Resource Circularity from the Production of Eco-Friendly Bottled Tap Water to Waste Collection and Recycling
    As part of efforts to work in synch with government policies aimed at achieving carbon neutrality and establishing a circular economy for plastic in Korea, K-water is developing an eco-friendly bottled tap water production system. This bottled tap water is intended to be used as emergency drinking water during national disasters such as droughts, floods, or typhoons and is produced through K-water’s facilities located in four major river basins: Hangang, Geumgang, Yeongsangang-Seomjingang, and Nakdonggang.

    In 2023, K-water became the first organization in the public sector to produce PET bottled tap water using 10% recycled materials. This ratio increased to 30% in 2024. As a result, the bottled water acquired “Recycled Material Use Certification” and received the highest recycling grade.

    Furthermore, K-water actively promotes the collection and recycling of transparent PET bottles. In 2024 alone, over 134,000 used plastic bottles were collected using unmanned collection machines. The corporation is also fostering a culture of resource reuse through initiatives such as operating upcycled umbrella rental stations and making eco-friendly souvenirs, thereby contributing to sustainable resource circulation.
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