K-water and 5 Mekong Countries to Jointly Address Climate Crisis Through AI-Based Water Management

[Financial News] South Korea and the 5 Mekong countries will jointly respond to the climate crisis by using water management technologies based on artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twins. They also agreed to expand the local application of smart water management and real-time monitoring technologies and identify new cooperation projects.
On the 1st, Korea Water Resources (K-water), together with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, held the 4th Korea-Mekong International Water Forum at The Westin Josun Seoul in Seoul's Jung-gu district under the theme "Enhancing Climate Resilience in the Mekong Region Through Digital Water Management."
About 200 people attended the forum, including government representatives from South Korea and the five Mekong countries—Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand—as well as representatives of 15 development cooperation organizations, including the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and South Korean water companies.
The governments of South Korea and the five Mekong countries adopted a joint declaration on responding to the climate crisis and pursuing practical cooperation projects using AI- and digital twin-based water management technologies.
The Mekong River is a major water source used by about 250 million people, but flooding, droughts and water pollution have worsened under the influence of climate change and industrialization. The joint declaration was prepared to expand the scope of water management cooperation in the Mekong region through digital technologies.
The Korea-Mekong Water Center (KOMEC), which hosted the event, is a technology cooperation platform launched by K-water in connection with the 2019 Korea-Mekong Summit. It serves as South Korea's only water-sector development cooperation channel specializing in the Mekong region.
The center has pursued climate change response projects, including the development of comprehensive master plans for national water resources in Cambodia and Laos. Going forward, it plans to expand the local application of AI-based predictive technologies, including smart water management, digital twins and real-time monitoring, while identifying new projects that reflect regional demand.
K-water explained that its digital twin water management platform and AI-based autonomous operation system for water treatment plants were ranked first and third, respectively, in the Ministry of Economy and Finance's "Top 10 Public Institution Innovation Projects" evaluation last June. These technologies are used to respond proactively to water disasters such as floods and support a stable water supply.
At the forum, governments and development cooperation organizations discussed ways to strengthen climate resilience through digital water management and locally tailored cooperation projects. K-water also shared its experience with projects in the Mekong region and explored the possibility of future joint initiatives.
A business consultation session and water technology exhibition were also held to support South Korean water companies' entry into the Mekong market. K-water facilitated one-on-one consultations between government agencies from the five Mekong countries and 22 South Korean water companies with technologies such as intelligent leak management.
K-water President Yoon Seok-dae said, "Based on this joint declaration, I will do my utmost as a continuous bridge linking South Korea and the five Mekong countries so that our 60 years of water management experience and technological expertise can bear fruit on the ground."
[email protected] Choi Ga-young Reporter