Korea opens 2027 water-circulation district bidding, targets two sites

South Korea's environment ministry said Wednesday it will select two more local governments as water-circulation districts next year, opening a bidding round aimed at regions facing the sharpest water stress or a history of water-related disasters.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment will take applications from Jan. 25 to 6 p.m. on Jan. 27, then run an expert review and a deliberation by the river basin water management committee before designating the two sites in the first half of next year.

Local governments qualify if they face high water-circulation weakness or have been declared a special disaster zone after a water-related disaster. Where a proposed district spans more than one local government, the authorities must submit a joint application, and any proposal that has not gathered opinions from residents and relevant experts will be dropped from the evaluation.

The new round follows the first designations this year, when Gunsan, Jecheon, Jeungpyeong and Cheonan were named water-circulation districts. Those four areas are now drawing up comprehensive water-circulation plans.

"With drought and floods becoming more frequent because of the climate crisis and water management conditions growing more difficult by the year, the regional water-circulation program is a new answer to local water problems," said Kim Ho-eun, the ministry's water use policy director. "We will actively support the program so that it takes root in the regions and leads to results that people can feel."