South Korean Government Expands Support for Seawater Desalination Industry, Launches Academia-Industry Council

The South Korean government is stepping up efforts to promote the seawater desalination industry as part of its response to climate-driven water shortages and its broader goal of expanding the nation’s water industry overseas.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced recently that it has established the Seawater Desalination Advancement Council, with its inaugural meeting on March 12 at Seoul Square in Jung-gu, Seoul. The council aims to strengthen the global competitiveness of Korea’s desalination sector and develop strategies for entering international markets.

Korea’s desalination industry currently faces structural challenges, including high production costs and a limited domestic market. To address these issues, the government will use the council as a central platform to coordinate discussions on technology innovation, regulatory reform and overseas expansion, laying the foundation for sustainable industry growth.

The council will bring together around 30 members from government, industry, academia and research institutions. Participating organisations include the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, Korea Water Resources Corporation and Korea Water Partnership, along with major companies such as Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Doosan Enerbility, GS Engineering & Construction, Synopex and Hyosung Goodsprings.

Globally, desalination technology has shifted significantly over the past two decades from energy-intensive evaporation methods to more efficient reverse osmosis systems. While evaporation requires 7–25 kWh per cubic metre of water produced, reverse osmosis consumes only 3–4 kWh. As a result, its share in global desalination facilities has increased from 58.6% in 2006 to 87.3% in 2024.

At the same time, the international business landscape is evolving beyond simple construction projects to include financing, operations and maintenance, creating new demands for comprehensive market entry strategies.

Domestically, momentum is building with the upcoming full-scale operation of the Daesan Coastal Seawater Desalination Facility, the largest in Korea. Capable of producing 100,000 tons of fresh water per day, the plant is expected to provide valuable operational experience and strengthen the global competitiveness of Korean firms.

At its first meeting, the ministry presented its vision for the desalination sector, while the Korea Water Resources Corporation outlined the council’s structure and operations. The Korea Water Partnership introduced strategies to advance the water industry through expanded desalination technologies, followed by discussions among council members.

The council operates through three dedicated working groups: technology development, overseas expansion and legal and regulatory reform. Key priorities include reducing costs through renewable energy integration and AI-based process optimisation, expanding exports of domestically produced equipment and materials and developing joint overseas entry strategies.

The regulatory group will explore measures such as fast-track deployment models and policy reforms to stimulate industry growth. Based on these discussions, the government plans to release a comprehensive roadmap for the development of the seawater desalination industry by the end of the year.