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Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kang Ho-in (left) and Cambodian Minister Chea Sophara of the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction pose for a commemorative photo on Aug. 11 in Seoul following the signing of an MOU that covers cooperation on land management, urban development and housing.

Korea is lending a helping hand to Cambodia with its urban development initiatives to help develop a series of “smart cities.”

On Aug. 16, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport penned a memorandum of understanding with the Cambodian Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction. As its first joint project, the two countries will join forces to turn Sihanoukville into a “smart city,” combined with state-of-the-art infrastructure — water management, transportation and energy — infrastructure that runs on advanced information technology from Korea.

Sihanoukville, 230 kilometers from the capital Phnom Penh, is the country’s one and only port city and has a population of about 200,000. Efforts had already been made to make the coastal city one of the country’s top resort spots, but current infrastructure there still remains undeveloped.

“Seoul’s experiences in dealing with urban issues, such as water management, with the help of ‘smart’ IT, will surely provide a solution to Cambodia as it has to cope with unsustainable urban development at the port city,” said an official from the Korean ministry.

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Representatives from the Korean and Cambodian governments pose for a group photo after the signing of an MOU that covers cooperation on land management, urban development and housing.

The MOU also focuses on joint efforts between the two governments in the establishment of public housing across Cambodia, modeling Korea’s similar housing institutions.

Also, the “Research Into the Implementation of Models for Public Housing Construction in Phnom Penh” joint project agreed upon in the MOU will allow the two nations to investigate the current status of housing across the capital, so as to put in place a system to secure, develop and supply land for construction, as well as to determine land supply standards. A pilot construction project will begin in the capital starting in August next year.

By Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
jiae5853@korea.kr