Each day of our lives, we inhale air and drink water. What sustains our life is neither wealth nor honor but the nature.

Environment! It holds great value and hope for our lives.

Korea has accomplished rapid industrialization by putting spurs to the economic development in the 1960's. However, these reckless developments destroyed clean streams and lakes, and the adverse environment impact caused by the degraded air quality, increased waste, and neglected waste management brought us much more pain.

After the 1980's, Korea actively promoted environmental policies and consistently invested in environmental facilities and technology on a large scale. We have made great strides in the environmental industry. Korea succeeded in attaining excellent environmental technology expertise especially in the fields of water quality, atmosphere and waste by promoting technology development projects in relation to G7 and the next generation's core environment.

I. Water Quality Management

Korea has greatly raised the level of water quality management up to those of advanced nations through excellent systems such as the total maximum daily load, sewage reuse, wastewater zero-discharge and notably the automatic water quality tele-monitoring system that was developed using cutting edge IT technologies.

We have established an outstanding water purification system and its facility management system with the capacity to build world-class waterworks and the purifying technology to generate first-rate water. Korea's technology to purify seawater into fresh water is particularly astonishing and this enabled Korea to take up 46% of the global market.

The rapid development in sewage and wastewater treatment helped Korea to attain a low-cost but highly efficient technology in high-degree treatment of nitrate water and treatment of livestock waste and densely concentrated industrial wastewater. 360 million tons of sewage water that accounts for about 5.5% of the total of 6.5 billion tons per year is reused as of the end of 2004, owing to the recent investment on R&D and facilities.

Korea also improved the facility environment and reduced costs as well through environment-friendly designs and cutting edge remote control systems.

Korea is gaining much headway in water quality management, resulting 90.6% and 83% installment rate of waterworks and sewerage respectively as of 2005.

II. Air Quality Management

Korea advanced the air quality management by launching the Special Measures for Metropolitan Air Quality Improvement and initiating innovative programs such as Total On-Site Management System, Emission Trading Scheme, Mandatory Use of Treatment Devices which reduce exhaust gas, and so forth.

Korea monitors the air pollution status on a real-time basis using Tele-Monitoring System which is installed inside 788 smokestacks in 1,856 different facilities.

Also, the Best Available Control Technology (BACT) applies to major emitters including power plants, steel mills, petrochemical facilities, and automakers.

Especially, the technology of dust collection, desulfurization and denitrification and diesel particulate filters are receiving much recognition around the world for low cost and high efficiency.

A fleet of 12,000 Korean CNG buses has been distributed in major domestic cities and are being exported throughout the world, creating a cleaner urban environment.

With the development of such technologies, Korea was able to bring the air pollution level down, even lower than the standard set by WTO since 1997.

III. Waste Management

Korea is well equipped with advanced waste treatment systems such as the Volume-Based Waste Fee System, Waste Charge System, and Extended Producer Responsibility System.

Through technologies of incineration and recycling with excellent thermal and economical efficiency, Korea reuses waste heat as heating fuel and incineration residue as raw materials for bricks. In connection with this, relevant facilities are also being set up in line with the development of alternative energy for the next generation such as domestic waste derived fuel.

Especially, Korea's worldly renowned metropolitan landfill measures up to 214,205,503ft² and is capable of handling 220 million tons of waste. It is also Asia's largest and latest landfill with the leachate disposal facility, solidification facilities and up-to-date landfill gas power plant.

Korea retains forefront facilities to classify wastes and technologies to manufacture recycling products in the areas of waste papers, ferrous scraps, waste glasses, waste tires, waste vinyl, food waste and construction waste where the recycling rate reaches up to 70%. Korea is definitely determined to create a sustainable society by establishing a resource recycling system in the waste management sector.

IV. Ecological Restoration and Management

Korea has successfully turned the waste landfill into the World Cup Ecological Park prior to hosting the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan.

Also, we are winning recognition from the world by reviving Cheonggyecheon stream in 2005 and turing it into a relaxing place for citizens.

The Metropolitan landfill in operation at the moment will undergo a complete makeover to reborn as a world-famous tourist attraction with an ecological park named "dream park" in place.

Korea seeks to create the synergy between a low-cost but highly efficient environmental technology and our spearheaded Information and Bio Technologies, ultimately in pursuit of a sustainable society.

Korea is preparing to take a big leap in a wide spectrum from environmental consulting to post-treatment with the expertise accumulated through numerous projects and professional engineers specialized in environment.

With the time-cherished experiences and globally renowned technology, Korea will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in preserving environment.

We are just a moment away from entering a bigger world. A dazzling future created by people, nature and cutting-edge technology altogether awaits you. What's left for us to is live together in harmony.