USAG HUMPHREYS, South Korea – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and K-water signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in an event at K-water’s Research Institute in Daejeon, South Korea, on April 16, 2025. The new agreement, signed almost ten years to the day from its predecessor, will allow for collaborative activities in the area of water resource management.
“This new MOU which marks the beginning of another decade of cooperation aims to build an even stronger partnership based on the existing foundation of collaborations,” said Ms. Gu, Ja Young, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategic Planning Officer for K-water in her opening remarks.
Brig. Gen. Joseph “Clete” Goetz II, commander of USACE Pacific Ocean Division, reflected on the organization’s mission to deliver today, innovate for tomorrow and always take care of its people along with their long-standing relationship with K-water.
“The Corps of Engineers has to do three things that are simple to say but hard to do,” said Goetz about the mission. “I am absolutely convinced that after ten years of our relationship together, the signing of this MOU today that we will do all of those things and will continue to undertake projects and partnerships that will be of great benefit to both of our countries and the world.”
The new agreement sets a framework for collaborative activities between the two agencies including technical exchanges, data and information sharing, planning, project and acquisition management, engineering, construction, and cooperation in water resources areas of mutual interest. The MOU also facilitates continuing to partner with K-water in capacity building with other nations, such as previous work in the Mekong.
Under the previous MOU, USACE which manages over 700 dams in the United States and generates a quarter of the nation’s hydropower, and K-water, which operates more than 30 dams and supplies drinking water across the Korean peninsula, have engaged in over 35 cooperative activities and mutual exchanges of scientific and technical expertise. This included the U.S. State Department and Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs sponsored Mekong Water Data Initiative, as well as participation by USACE Far East District representatives at the 2022 Mekong-Korea International Water Forum in Seoul.
Ahead of the ceremony, K-water shared a message from its CEO expressing hope that the renewed agreement would serve as a steppingstone toward impactful global contributions.
Prior to and during the signing ceremony, K-water presented its application of satellite research, and USACE and K-water provided reciprocal presentations on their organizations and international cooperation efforts across the globe. After the event, the teams also joined to see a presentation on how K-water is using emerging technologies in flood monitoring, showcasing how emerging technologies are helping deliver early warnings and improve resiliency.
“By signing this agreement, the two agencies will further reenforce our cooperation in water resource management and lay out a framework for jointly undertaking projects,” Gu said. “Through these efforts, they can conduct joint research and cutting-edge technologies such as digital twins, AI based flood forecasting and analytics for water resource management.”
Though signed by Goetz, the MOU reflects a broader commitment across the USACE.
“I continue to be excited to build the relationship with you – all of you – keeping in mind as well that this is not just an MOU between K-water and the Pacific Ocean Division, it is with the entire U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – all 38,000 engineers and scientists who are excited and committed to working alongside you,” he said.
All representatives expressed excitement over future potential collaborative activities under the MOU and how the two agencies can continue to grow together.