South Korea has completed the country’s largest seawater desalination facility in the Daesan Industrial Complex, strengthening national water security amid intensifying droughts caused by climate change.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and Korea Water Resources Corporation announced that the Daesan Industrial Seawater Desalination Project was officially completed on December 18 in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province. The facility can supply up to 100,000 tons of industrial water per day, ensuring stable water access for key petrochemical and industrial operations.

The Daesan Industrial Complex has repeatedly faced water shortages during severe droughts in 2012, 2015, and 2017. As industrial water demand continued to rise, local authorities requested the introduction of desalination technology to secure a reliable water source independent of rainfall and river flows.

Construction of the facility began in 2019, with a total project cost of approximately 317.5 billion won. The project was jointly funded by the national government and Korea Water Resources Corporation. The completed infrastructure includes a large-scale desalination plant, seawater intake facilities, and more than 25 kilometers of water conveyance pipelines.

The desalinated water will be supplied year-round to major industrial companies operating in the Daesan area, including Hyundai Oilbank, Hyundai OCI, LG Chem, and Hanwha Total. By utilizing seawater as a stable source, the facility is expected to protect industrial productivity even during extreme drought conditions.

The government plans to use operational data from the Daesan project to support Korean companies entering the global desalination market. As part of this strategy, research and development programs focusing on digital desalination plants and brine resource utilization have been launched to enhance technological competitiveness.

Vice Minister Geum Han-seung of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment stated that the completion of the facility represents a paradigm shift from passive water management to proactive resource 확보 using seawater. He emphasized that desalination will play a central role in supporting industrial growth and adapting to climate-driven water risks.

EcoNews notes that the Daesan desalination facility stands as a landmark example of climate-resilient infrastructure, demonstrating how advanced water technologies can secure industrial stability while addressing the challenges of a warming climate.