K-water joins Ukraine reconstruction as follow-up action to Yoon's promises

An Jung-ho, left, chief management officer of the Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-water), attends an MOU signing ceremony between K-water and UHE in Liverpool, England, Wednesday (local time). Right is Andriy Nikolayenko, a member of Ukraine's parliament. Courtesy of Korea Water Resources Corp.

By Jun Ji-hye

The Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-water) has become the first Korean public institution to join reconstruction projects for Ukraine, paving the way for enhanced cooperation between the two nations.

The state-owned company said, Thursday, that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Ukrhydroenergo (UHE), the Ukrainian state-owned hydropower generating company, in Liverpool, England, Wednesday (local time).

The MOU is part of follow-up measures for President Yoon Suk Yeol promises of assistance to Ukraine during his visit to the war-torn country on July 15, after his three-day official visit to Poland.

At the time, President Yoon said he agreed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to provide a comprehensive package of security, humanitarian and reconstruction assistance.

In a business forum held in Warsaw on July 14, Korea and Poland signed over 30 MOUs in areas including the postwar reconstruction of Ukraine. K-water CEO Yun Seog-dae also expressed willingness to actively participate in a project to reconstruct the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine's southern region of Kherson that was ruined and breached on June 6, sparking a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

Under the latest MOU with UHE, K-water will share information on hydroelectric power generation and support technologies to help the reconstruction of the Kakhovka dam and the modernization of aging facilities.

“A follow-up action has been taken fast in the water resources area since the business forum in Poland,” Yun said. “We will continue to expand cooperation with Ukraine by providing humanitarian assistance and pushing for the reconstruction project promptly.”