1. The 2019 Korea International Water Industry Conference will take place at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, Nuri Ballroom II, on September 3, from 13:30 to 18:00.

○ The Conference has been annually held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (ROK) since 2016, aimed at sharing the outlook on the global water market, trends in the relevant technologies and information on overseas water-related projects in the field of water resources and thereby at expanding opportunities for the ROK companies in the water industry to build their presence in overseas markets.

2. Starting with opening remarks delivered by Director-General for Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Scientific Affairs of the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kwon Sei-joong, the upcoming event will consist of presentations and discussions by experts on two topics, including Smart Water Management in Smart Cities and Sustainable Development and the Water Industry.

○ In Session 1, government officials from the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Malaysia will present the way forward for implementing smart cities in their home countries and business officials from Xylem and Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) will deliver presentations on advanced water management technologies and exemplary cases applied in the process of building smart cities.

○ In Session 2, participants from the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Republic of Philippines, the Republic of Tunisia and the Argentine Republic will conduct presentations of water-related policies aimed at achieving the sixth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - “Water and Sanitation for All” - as well as challenges faced in the process of implementing such policies, and jointly explore ways to work together with the ROK.

○ Foreign speakers and the ROK officials in the water industry will also have a networking time.  

3. In his keynote speech, Director-General Kwon will highlight the importance of smart water management in the concept of smart cities which a number of countries are pursuing to realize in the Fourth Industrial Revolution era and which both the ROK and foreign water-related companies will find a huge opportunity for cooperation together. The Director General will also evaluate this event as a meaningful platform for contributing to the exchange of water management technologies among such companies and further for promoting international cooperation in addressing water problems for sustainable development.