K-water chief meets Ecolab CEO to launch advanced industrial water partnership

Yun Seog-dae, CEO of Korea Water Resources Corporation — also known as K-water — met with Christophe Beck, chairman and CEO of global water solutions company Ecolab, at the corporation's Han River Basin Headquarters on Thursday in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, to discuss cooperation in advanced industrial water management.

The meeting focused on securing sustainable water supplies for strategic industries such as semiconductors and data centers to meet surging demand from the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI), according to K-water officials. The two leaders also agreed on the need for coordinated global action to strengthen water resilience amid climate challenges.

“This meeting marks a starting point for leading water organizations from Korea and the U.S. to gain a better understanding of each other’s vision and capabilities, and open the door to cooperation,” Yun said. “By bringing together the strengths of the public and private sectors, we will support a stable water supply for future key industries and help drive innovation in the global water market.”

Beck described Korea as a strategically important market, citing its world-class chip industry and accelerating AI innovation. He said Ecolab aims to combine its expertise with K-water’s capabilities to promote more sustainable water use in advanced industries and help address mounting water challenges worldwide.

K-water has successfully localized technologies for producing ultrapure water, which is purified to remove nearly all contaminants and is critical for semiconductor manufacturing.

The two leaders also discussed reducing reliance on conventional water supplies from dams and rivers by tapping reclaimed water and other alternative sources. They explored tailored high-purity treatment technologies to ensure that advanced industries have enough water of the quality required for their operations.

During the visit, Beck toured the integrated water management control center at K-water’s facility, where he observed how the agency’s AI-based water management technologies are being deployed in the field. These include a digital-twin water management platform and AI-powered water treatment plants that use real-time data to help manage water supplies and respond to extreme weather events.

The two organizations agreed to build a long-term collaboration platform, beginning with regular working-level consultations. They will explore cooperation in water management for advanced industries, carbon reduction through water and energy savings, and joint research and pilot projects to strengthen capabilities in high-tech water treatment, K-water said.