Prishtina, 012.12.2018 – Minister Lluka has started a 3-day visit to South Korea and Japan, with the aim of ensuring support for Kosova e Re Power Plant and cooperation between the countries in the sphere of water and waste management.

Accompanied by the Honorary Consul in South Korea, James Chung, during his visit in Korea, Minister Lluka met with the Chief Executive Officer of the Western Korea Energy Corporation, Kim Byung Sook, to exchange plans on the future of the energy sector. Lluka informed Sook on the 10-year energy strategy approved in the Kosovo Assembly in the beginning of this year, which envisages an expansion of energy capacities for the first time after 40 years.

In addition, after the meeting, Lluka visited one of the largest thermal power plants in South Korea managed by this company. The energy complex, comprising 10 thermal power plants with around 6500MW in installed capacities, had advanced technologies that meet all criteria related to allowed emissions, proving that the thermal power plant to be constructed in Kosovo may also be a non-polluting one.

During the visit in Korea, Minister Lluka was also received by the President of the State Environment Agency, Jang Joon Yeong. The South Korea Environment Agency is the agecy responsible for managing waste, waters, air quality and waste generation. The purpose of the meeting was to ensure institutional support to waste management in Kosovo with special focus on transforming waste into a non-polluting renewable energy generating source. The capital of South Korea, Seoul has over 25 million inhabitants and an extreme density of the population. The management of waste of such a large population living in a small territory, requires a perfect system, therefore Korea has the appropriate expertise suiting our requirements.

The Agency President promised support through grants in three fields: 1. Waste management, 2. Air quality monitoring, and 3. Feasibility studies and oversight of works on water reservoirs increasing the safety of Kosovo citizens in terms of drinkable water supply. Moreover, Yeoung expressed readiness to support the construction of wastewater treatment plants in small municipalities, through soft grants combined with grants.

The Government of the Republic of Kosovo and the Government of South Korea are on the verge of establishing diplomatic relations, which is of special significance for our country, considering that the Korean economy is a global superpower with gross domestic production amounting to around 35.000 dollars per capita.

Otherwise, Minister Lluka will visit Japan tomorrow, where he will be received by the State Minister of Economy, Yoshihiro Seki, and other senior representatives of the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation.