Jong Ho Ahn, Ph.D./Senior Research Fellow Korea Environment Institute Policy Research Group Division of Water Environment Special Regional Session: Achieving water security for Asia and the Pacific through sustainable water management.

1. Transformation of Water & Sanitation in Korea
Jong Ho Ahn, Ph.D./Senior Research Fellow
Korea Environment Institute
Policy Research Group
Division of Water Environment

2. 2
 Case of Korea – Water Supply and Sanitation
Achievements
• GNI per capita: US$85 (1961)  US$26,204 (2012)
• Water supply coverage: from 17% (1961) to 98% (2012)
• Wastewater services coverage: from 2% (1961) to 92% (2012)
• Proper accounting of all costs and revenues of the sector since early
reform
• Population concern on environmental pollution forced immediate actions
• GNI per capita: US$85 (1961)  US$26,204 (2012)
• Water supply coverage: from 17% (1961) to 98% (2012)
• Wastewater services coverage: from 2% (1961) to 92% (2012)
• Proper accounting of all costs and revenues of the sector since early
reform
• Population concern on environmental pollution forced immediate actions
(Source) A Study on the Vision 2050 of
Wastewater Policy, MOE,2012.
(Key Success Factors)
Government-initiated
financial investment and
adequate preparation of a
water resource management
system
Developing
water resources
Introducing
WWT system
Expanding
sewer system
Expanding
national water
supply networks

3. 3
 Important Government's Roles in Success
 Regarding water sector development as an integral part of the
transformation
of the economy
 Implementing the laws, regulations, institutions, and financial
resources
 Strongly pushing through monitoring and reporting for progress
 Case of Korea – Lessons learnt
 What has worked well
 The water infrastructure has been developed in accordance with a plan
to promote the economic development.
 The investment in water infrastructure at the initial stage of
economic development was possible thanks to foreign aid.
 Investment in water sector requires activities and economic
investment, and these efforts have contributed to technology development
and job creation, either directly or indirectly.

4. 4
 Case of Korea – The New Village Movement “Sae-Maeul
Undong”*
 “Sae-Maeul Undong”
 Incubated Initiative by the Leadership
 Principles: Diligence, Self-reliance, and
Cooperation
 Simple to multiple benefits to fight rural
poverty
- From improving basic livelihood
infrastructure
To income growth
 Vertical coordination & Horizontal integration
- Three actors : president, central-local
government,
village (leader and
community)
- Education, evaluation, competition, reward,
pride
Water
Feces
 Water-related Development Operations
 Irrigation (small reservoir, weir,
canal)
 Water supply system
 Sewerage network and sanitation
facility
☜ Helminth infection rate in the young
students : 71.3% (1971)  0.6%
(1991)
Hong et al., 2006 * This slide has been reproduced by courtesy of Dr. IJ Kim.