1. On November 29, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with the UNESCO International Centre for Water Security and Sustainable Management (i-WSSM), hosted a tour of industrial facilities -- main facilities of the Sihwa Tidal Power Plant and the Gyeongin Ara Waterway run by K-Water -- for foreign diplomats to the Republic of Korea.

° The event was organized to share with foreign diplomats to the ROK the country’s technology and experiences regarding new and renewable energy, responding to climate change and using waterside space; to develop cooperation projects among countries; and to build relevant networks.

° Twenty-four diplomats from 20 countries, including the Kingdom of Denmark, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Kingdom of Thailand, joined the event that consisted of a briefing session on the progress in projects; a tour of the aforementioned facilities; and a travel along the Ara Waterway aboard a ship and overland.

° The foreign diplomats, taking note of the values of the world’s largest Sihwa Tidal Power Plant and the Gyeongin Ara Waterway as ecological and tourism resources, demonstrated keen interest in new and renewable energy and water resources-related infrastructure of the ROK.

2. In his welcoming remarks, Director-General for Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Scientific Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kwon Sei-joong, calling climate change as well as water and energy security shared issues of the global community, voiced hope that the event would serve as an opportunity to learn first-hand about the ROK’s efforts to run its water resources-related infrastructure in a way that would help better respond to climate change, as well as its policy regarding new and renewable energy. He also expressed expectation that as such, the event would contribute to close cooperation among countries in the field.

* unofficial translation