Public-Private Coalition targets growing market driven by climate-linked water scarcity.
South Korea has launched a national public-private council aimed at strengthening its seawater desalination industry and expanding overseas projects, as governments worldwide search for solutions to worsening water scarcity linked to climate change.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said the initiative will bring together government agencies, research institutions and major industrial players to coordinate technology development and global market expansion.
Participants include the Korea Water Resources Corporation, the Korea Water Industry Association, and leading engineering and equipment firms such as Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Doosan Enerbility, GS Engineering & Construction, Synopex and Hyosung Goodsprings. Around 30 members from industry, academia and research institutes are expected to take part.
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
Desalination Gains Importance as Water Security Concerns Rise
The move reflects increasing global concern about water security as climate change intensifies droughts and disrupts freshwater supplies.
Desalination — the process of removing salt from seawater — has become an essential technology in regions facing chronic water shortages, particularly across the Middle East and parts of Asia.
Despite this growing demand, South Korea’s desalination sector has historically faced challenges, including high production costs and a limited domestic market.
However, technological shifts are reshaping the industry. The global market is moving away from energy-intensive thermal evaporation methods toward reverse osmosis (RO) systems, which use membranes to filter salt at significantly lower energy consumption.
Reverse Osmosis Dominates the Global Market
Industry data cited by the ministry show that reverse osmosis accounted for 87.3 percent of the global desalination market in 2024, up sharply from 58.6 percent in 2006.
The technology typically consumes about one-quarter of the energy required by traditional evaporation techniques, making it increasingly attractive for new projects.
Technological advances and cost reductions are expected to sustain strong growth in the sector. Industry forecasts indicate the RO segment alone could expand at more than 10 percent annually through the early 2030s.
Domestic Mega Project to Support Overseas Expansion
South Korea is also preparing a large-scale domestic desalination project designed to help local firms build operational experience.
The Daesan coastal desalination plant, capable of producing 100,000 tonnes of freshwater per day, is expected to begin full-scale operations this year and will become the largest facility of its kind in the country.
Officials say the plant’s operating track record will help Korean companies compete more effectively in international tenders for desalination projects.
Three Working Groups to Drive Industry Strategy
The newly formed council will be divided into three working groups focusing on:
- Technology development
- Overseas market expansion
- Regulatory reforms
The technology group will explore ways to reduce costs through artificial intelligence-based process optimisation and integration with renewable energy systems.
Another group will examine new business models, including linking desalination plants with power generation facilitiesand expanding exports of locally produced components and equipment.
A third group will review regulatory frameworks and policy measures aimed at accelerating industry growth and promoting localisation of key technologies.
The council plans to produce a national roadmap for the desalination sector by the end of the year.
“Seawater desalination is both a critical tool for strengthening water security in the era of climate crisis and a rapidly growing global industry,” said Kim Ji-young, director-general for water utilisation policy at the ministry. She added that the government will work closely with industry to help Korean firms take a leading role in the global marke
Rapidly Expanding Global Market
The global desalination market was valued at around US$21.7 billion in 2024 and is projected to exceed US$58 billion by 2033, growing at more than 11 percent annually, according to market research estimates.
Demand remains strongest in arid regions such as the Middle East and North Africa, which together account for the largest share of global desalination capacity. Gulf countries rely heavily on desalinated water to sustain urban populations and industrial development, with some states producing most of their drinking water through seawater treatment plants.
Worldwide desalination capacity has expanded steadily for more than a decade, increasing by about 7 percent annually since 2010, with thousands of plants now operating globally.
Beyond the Middle East, new desalination investments are emerging in regions experiencing prolonged drought or groundwater depletion.
Governments in North America, Australia and South Asia are exploring large-scale projects, including facilities powered partly by renewable energy to reduce both costs and emissions.
South Korea’s new industry council reflects growing recognition that desalination is becoming not only a strategic tool for climate resilience, but also a competitive global industry with expanding opportunities for technology development and international cooperation.
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