There were little concerns about groundwater usage and contamination in South Korea during the early 1990s, but that has changed in recent years.
This is why, in 1993, the South Korean government enacted the Groundwater Act, which mandated the gathering of countrywide groundwater data (usage, water levels, and quality) and the development of groundwater management plans at the national and municipal levels for long-term use.
Increasing population and economic growth have resulted in a comparable increase in the number of buildings, roads, and urban infrastructure, while open space is disappearing.
Aside from that, the number of groundwater wells has increased, resulting in high level of groundwater pumping. South Korean farmers were well-known to tap on private groundwater wells for their water supply because it is free of charge.
Many factors are placing considerable strain on the environment.
The top policy makers in South Korea are aware of the environmental strain and other issues that could pose a threat to their water supply. As such, the South Korean government would work with leading institutions, to conduct joint research on developing technologies for the protection of groundwater, surface water, etc.
The work would focus on harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) as part of a real-time surveillance system for groundwater. The surveillance system should ideally be able to monitor water level, ions, natural and man-made chemicals, and using these arrays of information to manage optimally the groundwater pollutants.
The South Korean government will also draw on the expertise of their nuclear agency to support the establishment of this AI real-time surveillance system for groundwater.
Terra Link Research 