November 27, 2024

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K-water CEO Yun Seog-dae speaks at the third Asia International Water Week Kick-off Meeting at the agency's Songsan Global Education and Research Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. (K-water)

Yun Seog-dae, CEO of Korea Water Resources Corp., also known as K-water, has been named the fourth chairman of the Asia Water Council during the council’s general meeting held in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, last week. He will serve his three-year term until 2026.

"I am very honored to be elected chairman of AWC, a representative joint water platform in Asia. I understand the great responsibility that comes with being elected at a time when we face the major challenge of solving global water issues for sustainable development," Yun said upon election on Friday.

"I will strive to push the AWC forward along with other newly appointed board members."

The AWC, established in 2016, is a platform that aims to provide solutions to water issues in Asia and beyond, linking Asian countries and international organizations such as the United Nations.

As the leading water management agency in South Korea, K-water took the initiative in establishing the council and serves as the current chair and organizing committee.

The recent fourth general meeting of the AWC was the council’s first offline meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 200 stakeholders from 50 Asian nations as well as international organizations such as the UN Development Programme and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, were in attendance during the three-day event that kicked off Wednesday.

During the meeting, 29 new board members were elected as third-term directors, including Yun as chairman. Together, the board is expected to secure momentum for climate change adaptation and boost its status in the international community.

It is also expected to expand investments in the water sector and make the AWC a central platform for global cooperation beyond Asia through international conferences such as next year’s 10th World Water Forum in Indonesia and the Third Asia International Water Week in China, also scheduled for next year.

Seven ambassadors from Malaysia, Tajikistan and more also held a luncheon with Yun on Friday where they proposed collaborative projects to strengthen their respective countries' capabilities and technological development in the water sector.

By Yu Ji-soo (jisooyu123@heraldcorp.com)