Predicting Climate Risks and Autonomously Operating Dams and Water Treatment Plants... Leading the Global AI Water Industry

[Public-Sector AI Innovator] Korea Water Resources Corporation

Editor's NoteAmong the 30 outstanding projects selected on October 28 at the 2026 Public Institution AI Innovation Achievement Competition, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Ministry of Science and ICT, this article takes an in-depth look at the remarkable work of public institutions that have improved people's quality of life and delivered tangible results through AI innovation, from preventing deaths of people living alone to enhancing air traffic control safety and building autonomously operated power plants.

Korea Water Resources Corporation demonstrated its role as a leading institution in the AI transformation of public infrastructure by sharing an outstanding case in which it continuously monitors 37 national dams, reducing inspection time and costs by up to 95%.

Korea Water Resources Corporation President Yoon Seokdae announces the grand prize-winning entry at the 2026 Innovation Challenge Final Contest, held on October 29 at the corporation's headquarters in Daejeon.

Behind the corporation's achievements are its three "unmatched technologies"—digital twins, AI water treatment plants, and smart water network management (SWNM)—as well as the company-wide "AI First" strategy led by President Yoon Seokdae. Its most prominent achievement, the "Digital Twin Water Management Platform," is an advanced system that combines AI-based weather and inflow forecasts with a 3D virtual environment to simultaneously analyze up to 48 water-release scenarios.

This technology, which enables proactive responses to climate disasters such as extreme flooding, was featured as a leading disaster-response case at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in January 2026. In May 2026, it also led to the corporation signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with OpenAI, the first such agreement in the climate tech sector.

The corporation's "AI water treatment plant" technology, which autonomously operates the entire treatment process, has also earned global recognition. Introduced at 43 regional water treatment plants nationwide and expected to reduce operating costs by KRW 11 billion in 2027, the technology is leading the corporation's push into the global AI water industry market, which is projected to grow to KRW 96 trillion by 2029. The driving force behind these innovations comes from the corporation's internal "Innovation Challenge" platform.

President Yoon Seokdae (center) poses for a commemorative photo with the winners of the 10 projects that made it to the final round of the 2026 Innovation Challenge Final Contest, held at the Korea Water Resources Corporation headquarters in Daejeon on October 29. Korea Water Resources Corporation

At the 2026 Innovation Challenge Final Contest, held on October 29 at the corporation's headquarters in Daejeon, an idea from frontline employees won the grand prize: "A Safety Assistant in the Palm of My Hand," which precisely assesses the safety of facilities using only smartphone photos. This is one example of how employee ideas are being put to work to improve public services.

Korea Water Resources Corporation President Yoon Seokdae said, "We will accelerate digital transformation using AI, advance our technology, and play a key role in helping South Korea rise as a global AI powerhouse."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.