South Korea and Turkmenistan are set to enhance their cooperation in the water industry. The two countries plan to expand exchanges in digital water management technology and policies while accelerating the entry of domestic water companies into the Central Asian market.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on July 23 that they hosted a delegation from the Turkmenistan government for three days starting July 21 as part of the 'Korea-Turkmenistan Water Industry Cooperation Delegation' event.
This invitation follows a public-private partnership initiative launched by the South Korean government last year to explore collaboration in the water sector. After confirming the potential for cooperation, the two countries focused this year on practical collaboration through site visits and business exchanges.
During their visit, the delegation toured the Korea Water Resources Corporation's Integrated Operation Center, the Hwaseong AI Water Purification Plant, and the Gyeongin Ara Waterway to observe South Korea's digital water management systems and operational frameworks. They also visited domestic companies with water management technologies, such as canal monitoring and water quality treatment, to review technology applications and discuss future collaboration possibilities.
This event was linked to the 'Korea-Central Asia Smart Water Management Invitation Training.' On the final day, a multilateral meeting and water industry cooperation seminar were held in Seoul, attended by government officials from five Central Asian countries, focusing on water management policies and climate change response strategies.
Officials from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan participated in the meeting to share their respective water management policies and challenges while discussing sustainable water resource management cooperation.
A business roundtable was also organized, facilitating one-on-one consultations between domestic water companies and Central Asian government agencies. Participating companies assessed the local business environment and collaboration opportunities, seeking specific business prospects such as equipment supply and facility construction.
The government expects this event to advance water sector cooperation between South Korea and Turkmenistan while expanding policy coordination and communication with Central Asian countries. Additionally, it aims to support the overseas expansion of domestic water companies based on government collaboration and to continuously pursue new cooperation projects.
Kim Ho-eun, Director of Water Use Policy at the Ministry of Climate, stated, "Cooperation with Central Asian countries is leading to tangible export results for domestic water companies in terms of equipment supply and facility construction. We will continue to provide government support to ensure companies can operate reliably overseas."
In his opening remarks, Climate Change Ambassador Gyeon Jong-ho emphasized the importance of sharing water management experiences and resource policies among nations, expressing hope that the discussions would lead to meaningful cooperation outcomes at the upcoming Korea-Central Asia summit scheduled for September.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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