Viet Nam – South Korea strategic cooperation on digital transformation in the water sector

On the morning of November 5, within the framework of the 23^rd Asia Water Council (AWC) Summit and the AWC 2025 Technical Workshop, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Le Cong Thanh held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Seogdae Yun, Chairman of AWC and CEO of Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water).

Viet Nam – South Korea strategic cooperation in the water sector

At the meeting, Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh appreciated the role of South Korea, K-water, and AWC in accompanying and supporting Viet Nam through the Korea-Mekong Water Resources Management Collaborative Research Center (KMCRC). The Deputy Minister emphasized that recent cooperation achievements, particularly in applying smart technologies for water resource monitoring, operation, forecasting, and sustainable development of the Mekong River basin, have delivered practical results.

According to the Deputy Minister, the planning and restructuring process in Viet Nam creates space for regional and urban development, laying the foundation for significant investment needs in clean water supply and wastewater treatment. Vietnamese cities with large populations and extensive areas are facing urgent demands to ensure a stable water supply. He noted that this is a critical time for Viet Nam to expand international cooperation in the water sector, especially with capable and experienced partners like K-water.

"We welcome the participation of South Korean enterprises present at today's conference in investing, sharing benefits, and jointly overcoming challenges. Viet Nam is currently facing droughts and particularly increasingly frequent floods, so the application of advanced technology has become an urgent requirement," Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh emphasized.

The Deputy Minister also welcomed the Hanoi Initiative, regarding it as an urgent action toward enhancing regional cooperation to ensure transboundary water security, prevent flooding, and respond to climate change. The technical cooperation program underscores the strong political commitment of both Viet Nam and the AWC to building a smart and resilient water governance system.

The leader of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment proposed coordination with the AWC, K-water, and South Korean agencies and enterprises to develop projects focusing on smart water resource management and climate change adaptation; development of monitoring and forecasting infrastructure and a national digital water database; ensuring water security in transboundary river basins; and developing safe water supply, wastewater treatment, and water reuse systems, particularly in areas heavily affected by climate change and rural regions.

The meeting took place as the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and South Korea continues to strongly grow, especially following the official visit of General Secretary To Lam to South Korea in August 2025. Both sides reached a consensus on many new directions for cooperation in the areas of water, climate, and green growth.

Strengthening cooperation within the Asia Water Council framework

Sharing South Korea’s experience as a country that has faced severe droughts and floods, Mr. Seogdae Yun, Chairman of AWC, stated that investments in satellite technology, artificial intelligence, and smart irrigation projects have significantly reduced natural disaster impacts in South Korea, and that the country is ready to share its experience with Viet Nam.

Chairman of AWC Seogdae Yun expressed strong interest in water resource cooperation with Viet Nam, affirming that the core trend is the application of science and technology in the water sector to cope with climate change. He expressed hope for close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to reinforce and expand cooperative models of South Korean enterprises.

The leader of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment reaffirmed that Viet Nam is ready to deepen cooperation with South Korea in the digital transformation of the water sector, smart water management, the development of a national water data system, and the application of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in water supply network management and wastewater treatment.

The Deputy Minister also expressed hope that the Asia Water Council and K-water would continue to support Viet Nam in capacity building, particularly for specialized agencies such as the National Center for Water Resources Planning and Investigation, which will play a key role in digitalizing the management of important river basins.

Both sides shared the belief that, with a spirit of sincere cooperation and a shared strategic vision, Viet Nam and South Korea will jointly realize the Hanoi Initiative, turning the commitments made at the 23^rd AWC Summit into concrete actions for regional water security.