By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo
Yun Seog-dae, CEO of Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water), met with Cambodian Ambassador to Korea Chring Botumrangsay at the Cambodian Embassy in Seoul on July 18 to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the water, energy and urban areas.
The meeting was organized to discuss specific action plans and cooperation directions for projects in the water, energy, and urban sectors, which were promoted following a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet during his state visit to Korea in May.
During the meeting, the company proposed the 'National Integrated Water Management and New Prosperity' project, which is a strategic urban development direction to solve Cambodia's water problems, and is now materializing the implementation plan.
Specifically, it is being considered to link the project to K-water's 'Water-Energy-City' package project through the Osrah Hydropower Development Project and Phnom Penh Urban Development Project, starting with the construction of inter-basin connecting waterway infrastructure such as flood prevention and flow control in Cambodia.
In addition, various cooperation projects in the water sector were discussed, including the master plan to build water infrastructure across Cambodia and the Phnom Penh smart water management system, which are currently underway.
“K-water will contribute to the water security and economic growth goals of Cambodia, a key partner of Korea, based on its diverse experiences and technologies, ranging from integrated water management to the creation of waterfront cities,” said Yoon. ”We hope that through this project, the two countries will move forward together toward shared prosperity in the future.”
Meanwhile, Korea Water Resources Corporation has been engaged in close international development cooperation with Cambodia, a member of the Asia Water Council, since 1999, starting with the Mekong River Water Survey Project and the Smart Water Management System Construction Project launched this year in Phnom Penh.
