K-water becomes first S. Korean state agency to join Ukraine's dam reconstruction project

By Kim Joo-heon Posted : July 27, 2023, 18:05 Updated : July 28, 2023, 19:29
Kherson, Ukraine [AFP / YONHAP PHOTO]
SEOUL -- K-water, a state water resource development and management agency in South Korea, has partnered with Ukrhydroenergo, a Ukrainian firm in charge of the operation of hydroelectric dams, to rebuild the Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine's southern region. The water resource developer has become South Korea's first state-run company to be involved in a reconstruction project for the dam destroyed in June 2023.     

The destruction of the dam located in Kherson took the lives of more than 100 people as of June 29. While Ukraine claimed that Russia blew up the dam to prevent a counterattack by Ukrainian troops, Russia said it collapsed due to Ukraine's artillery strike.
 
K-water said in a statement that the company signed an agreement to join the dam reconstruction project with Ukrhydroenergo in Liverpool, England. K-water will share know-how on dams and hydropower and provide safe monitoring technology.
 
The South Korean agency will also provide technical support to modernize outdated water facilities and upgrade management methods. In November 2020, K-water developed an artificial intelligence-based real-time disaster prevention system that can quickly detect and react to disaster situations such as a pipe rupture.
 
K-water's participation follows the company's economic mission to Poland in July. During a business forum held in Warsaw, the agency announced that it would provide humanitarian support for Ukraine's water supply facilities.

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