Aimed at strengthening technical cooperation in road engineering, this year’s seminar provided a platform for the two long-standing partners to share their latest R&D achievements and engage in in-depth exchanges through discussions and visits to local sites.

Experts from both institutions, representing expertise in roads, bridges, and transportation, gathered to discuss recent technological developments and their practical applications. Discussions placed particular emphasis on expanding opportunities for mutual visits and increasing joint R&D efforts in areas of shared interest.

The KICT and RIOH concluded this year’s seminar with confidence in the continued strengthening of their partnership, encompassing joint R&D projects, shared laboratory infrastructure, and other forms of collaboration. These efforts are expected to further solidify the foundation for Korea–China cooperation in construction technology and lead to new breakthroughs in road engineering.

Participants from the KICT and RIOH at this year’s joint seminar

The 19th KICT–IWHR Joint Seminar was held in China from October 13 to 17 this year.

As an official guest of IWHR, the KICT also participated in the opening ceremony and plenary session of this year’s Great Rivers Forum, held in China. The Great Rivers Forum serves as a flagship international academic event associated with River, an international journal published by IWHR, and provides a global platform for sharing research findings and policy insights related to river engineering and governance.

This year’s joint seminar comprised four sessions covering water resources and river management in the context of climate change; smart technologies for flood and drought response; the installation and maintenance of smart dams; and water environments and ecosystems. Researchers from both institutions presented their respective research achievements and technological needs. Through these discussions, the KICT and IWHR explored opportunities for joint research and development, reaffirming the importance of their long-standing and sustainable partnership.

Members of the KICT and IWHR at this year’s joint seminar

Olzhas Rayev, Mayor of Shymkent, Kazakhstan visited the KICT on November 20 and discussed ways for further coooperation between KICT and Kazakhstan. 

 

This year, 32 experts from the KICT and JICE shared R&D achievements and the latest technologies in river engineering, road infrastructure, urban development, and procurement systems. Key topics included disaster response, environmental sustainability, data-driven urban governance, and emissions reduction technologies.

Participants also visited major infrastructure sites in the Tokyo metropolitan area to study operational systems and policy frameworks. KIC President Park Sun-kyu remarked, “The KICT and JICE will continue practical, long-term cooperation in future-oriented construction technologies, including climate change response and smart infrastructure.”

KICT President Park delivers a congratulatory address

Technical discussion on river engineering

The event was attended by approximately 50 officials, including Lao Minister of Public Works and Transport Leklai Sivilay and Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Laos Jung Young-soo.

The project, an Official Development Assistance (ODA) initiative, began in July 2021 in Vientiane with the goal of enabling the Lao government to independently install and manage road infrastructure in a sustainable and cost-effective manner. Major achievements include the establishment and revision of road design standards, acquisition of mobile production facilities, introduction of technologies for improving unpaved roads, and the delivery of both online and offline training programs.

At the meeting, Ambassador Jung presented Minister Sivilay with a Lao-language road construction technology manual, and Minister Sivilay awarded citations to KICT researchers who contributed to the project.

Officials from the KICT and the Lao Ministry of Public Works and Transport

Founded in 1871, BAM is an internationally recognized research and certification institute with authority in the fields of energy, infrastructure, and the environment. It is regarded as a key partner for expanding hydrogen infrastructure. During the seminar, the two institutions discussed measures for joint research cooperation in areas such as hydrogen city infrastructure, infrastructure safety, construction material performance, and disaster response.

“BAM is a global institute with strong demonstration and verification capabilities. Through this partnership, we will expand joint research programs not only in hydrogen infrastructure, but also in diverse construction technology fields, further globalizing Korea’s construction technology,” stated KICT President Park Sun-kyu.

Commemorative photo after the MOU signing
(From left) Frank Wille, KICT President Park Sun-kyu, Andreas Rogge, and Director Kim Kang-suk

Commemorative photo of officials from the KICT and BAM

* UKC (US-Korea Conference on Science, Technology, and Entrepreneurship) is an annual event in the U.S. organized by the Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association (KSEA).

KICT President Park Sun-kyu and visiting researchers led the exchange and cooperation event, held at the Omni Atlanta Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. The event aimed to strengthen the talent network with Korean American scientists in the civil and construction engineering fields from major U.S. universities, while also providing an opportunity to gain insight into policies and technological trends in the construction sector of both Korea and the U.S.

The KICT also operated a promotional booth at UKC 2025 to introduce its research activities to leading American universities, research centers, and Korean American scientists, while conducting recruiting consultations to attract outstanding international talent.

KICT and Korean American scientists in the civil and construction engineering fields at the exchange and cooperation event
(KICT President Park Sun-kyu, front row, fourth from left)

KICT HR manager (right) and senior researcher (left) during a recruiting consultation session with Korean American scientists

Attendees from the water resources sector included Surasri Kidtimonton, Secretary-General of the Office of the National Water Resources of Thailand, and Park Sang-young, Director of the Ministry of Environment’s Water Industry and International Cooperation Division. They were welcomed by Moon Byeong-sup, KICT Vice President of Research, and attended a presentation delivered by Research Fellow Lee Jeong-eun of the KICT’s Department of Hydro Science and Engineering Research.

During the visit, both parties discussed opportunities for cooperative exchanges in the field of water resources and later toured the KICT’s material research infrastructure at the Ilsan headquarters, including the Hydro Science and Engineering Research Facility.

KICT Vice President of Research Moon Byeong-sup (left) conversing with Secretary-General Surasri Kidtimonton of the Office of the National Water Resources, Thailand (right)

Researchers and officials from both countries discuss cooperative exchange measures following a presentation on the KICT’s water resource research

Commemorative photo

The KICT Europe Office was established on July 23, 2017, at KIST-Europe in Saarbrücken, Saarland, Germany. Its mission is to promote KICT technologies in Europe, establish a Korea-Europe technological partnership program, and identify multinational cooperative R&D opportunities.

As of late July 2025, the KICT Department of Structural Engineering Research (led by Team Leader Kim Hyeong-Yeol) is preparing a proposal with five countries, including the U.K., for a large-scale international joint research project under the EU’s Horizon Europe program to advance Korea-EU collaboration on carbon neutral construction development. The Department is also preparing a joint Korea-Germany research project with the Institute of Textile Technology (ITA) at RWTH Aachen University, supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT’s R&D reserve fund under the program “Construction Technology Joint Development Using Carbon Neutral Mortar and Reinforced Textile.”

The KICT plans to expand its international partnership hubs beyond Germany, with a new hub at Kyoto University in Japan in October 2025 and another in the U.S. in the future, thereby laying a stronger foundation for global joint research and international cooperation in the field of construction technology.

Senior Research Fellow Kim Hyeong-Yeol at the KICT Europe Office

Exterior view of KIST-Europe