R&D expenditure on the water industry South Korea 2021, by sector

In 2021, approximately 450 billion South Korean won was spent on research and development (R&D) on product manufacturing within the water industry in South Korea. That year, a total of around 826 billion won was spent on R&D in the water industry in the country overall. South Korea lacks natural resources in comparison to its population, with most of its water coming from dams and rivers.

Water management and expertise

In response to this deficiency, the nation has developed a level of expertise in water management and technology over the years. Other countries and regions facing similar issues, such as China and the Middle East, have since started importing this expertise from the South Korean water industry. In 2021, exports from the South Korean water industry totaled over 1.9 trillion won.

Growing water consumption

Domestically, South Korea processes millions of cubic meters of wastewater to be reused daily in its hundreds of sewage treatment facilities. The amount of wastewater treated every day has steadily increased in the past 10 years and shows little sign of stopping. As consumption continues to grow, there will be pressure on the water industry to continue providing a steady supply to the population.