This is the first in a six-part series of articles highlighting state-run firms' efforts to export their know-how to other countries - ED.
By Lee Hyo-sik
The state-run Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-Water), which successfully completed an ambitious restoration project of the country’s four major rivers from 2010 to 2011, is now seeking to share its water management know-how with Thailand, China and Morocco.
The company has formed a consortium with six construction firms, including Hyundai and GS, to win an $11 billion contract from Thailand for refurbishing the latter’s 25 river systems.
It also wants to become a consultant for Morocco to help it more effectively manage its scarce water resources, while advising China’s Yinchuan City, an agricultural hub which often suffers flooding as a result of the overflowing Yellow River, on how to design and build various flood prevention infrastructures.
``Using the success of the four-river scheme as a springboard, we have initiated a driver to share our water management know-how with developing nations. We would like to first help Thailand, which suffered massive flooding last October, better manage its river systems,’’ a spokesman for K-Water said.
The K-Water-led consortium is to submit a preliminary bid to the Thai government by Aug. 24. If it passes an initial screening, it will then file an official bid in November.
The Southeast Asian nation has said it will select preferred bidders by the end of the year. Firms from Korea, Japan, Chin and the Netherlands are expected to make bids.
``In March, Prime Minister Shinawatra visited a reservoir near the Namhan River in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province. At the time, she expressed a great deal of interests in learning Korea’s flood control and water management systems,’’ the spokesman said.
He said K-Water has developed a comprehensive water management system by undertaking the 22.2 trillion won restoration work. The project is said to have strengthened the capability of four main river systems — the Han, Nakdong, Geum and Yeongsan — across the country by building dams, reservoirs and other water-management facilities.
``Hopefully, we can share our knowledge and experiences with our Thai counterparts,’’ the spokesman stressed.
Additionally, K-Water signed a memorandum of understanding with the Moroccan government on March 26 to share its know-how on the four-river scheme and overall water management. It has formed a taskforce with engineering firms and other-related organizations. The team will soon visit the North African nation to conduct a field study there.
The state-run firm also signed an agreement with Yinchuan City to help it prevent flood and create environment-friendly infrastructure of water-based leisure activities.
``We will make more efforts to share our water management knowledge with more developing nations. This will also help construction and engineering firms here make inroads into foreign countries and find new sources of growth,’’ the spokesman said.
K-Water has also been active in designing and building hydroelectric power generation dams.
In March, it signed a contract with the Nepalese government to build a 130 billion won hydroelectric dam. It will build and operate the plant for 30 years, and then transfer its ownership to Nepal.
In Pakistan, a consortium formed by K-Water and local builders has been building a hydroelectric dam since last December. The $436 million project is scheduled to be completed by 2016. The consortium will also build and operate the dam for 30 years, and then transfer its ownership to the Pakistani government.