- This collaboration focuses on exploring opportunities to integrate and optimize GS Caltex’s wastewater treatment plants and increase utility synergies with neighboring enterprises, leveraging Veolia's innovative technologies. The partnership will promote the reuse of wastewater and boiler blowdown water, chemical recovery, In the digital sector, Veolia plans to further enhance GS Caltex's utility operations through connectivity, visualization, intelligence, and augmentation technologies.
Seoul, South Korea – April 5, 2026 – Marking the French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Korea Veolia, the global leader in ecological transformation, and GS Caltex, a leading comprehensive energy company, today jointly announced the signing of a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This collaborative agreement aims to identify and accelerate mutually beneficial opportunities across the business, environmental, and digital sectors.
Korean industries, facing rapid growth and increasingly stringent environmental regulations, have a rising need for integrated solutions that combine industrial performance with environmental security. Veolia, leveraging its global expertise in water, waste, and energy management, supports these industries by providing innovative technologies and optimized operational systems. Through this strategic partnership, both companies will align their expertise to conduct joint technology assessments, share critical industry insights, and pioneer cutting-edge solutions for sustainable growth.
With Veolia’s solutions and its growing presence in Korea over the past 25 years, Korean companies can not only improve facility efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and lower emissions, but also secure their environmental impact, ensure the sustainable management of strategic resources, and advance the transition toward a circular and sustainable economy.
The joint initiative will focus on two core pillars:
- Water management, Operational Excellence and Circular Economy: The companies will establish a strategic partnership for the integrated operation and management of the GS Caltex wastewater treatment plant within the Yeosu National Industrial Complex - one of the largest refinery plants in the world with a crude oil processing capacity of 800K bbl/day. Veolia will deploy on-site teams and digital monitoring tools to optimize treatment performance, reduce energy consumption, and improve water reuse. Building on this operational foundation, the partners will implement and assess concrete solutions to improve overall utility efficiency, including cooling system optimization, reuse of wastewater and boiler blowdown water, and chemical recovery. These initiatives aim to enhance plant reliability, lower operating costs, and support GS Caltex’s environmental performance through a more circular use of water and resources.
- Digital Transformation: Embracing the future of smart operations, the partnership will seek opportunities to elevate GS Caltex's utility management through Veolia’s Hubgrade AI solution encompassing connectivity, visualization, intelligence, and augmentation technologies. To further support this digital leap, the collaboration will facilitate benchmarking visits to world-class global refinery references.
Herve Peneau, CEO, Korea, Veolia said "Korean industries today face growing challenges to balance operational performance with environmental responsibility. Through this new partnership with GS Caltex, we are bringing tailored solutions that combine business efficiency, environmental sustainability, and digital innovation. By leveraging our expertise across water, waste, and energy services in Korea for over 25 years, and implementing our GreenUp strategic plan, we help companies optimize operations, reduce emissions, and manage resources more effectively. Together, we strengthen the environmental security of Korea’s industrial sector while paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient future.”
Saehong Hur, Board Chair & CEO of GS Caltex, stated, “Our collaboration with Veolia will serve as a pivotal momentum to innovate our overall utility operations and elevate our ESG management to the next level. We are committed to securing sustainable competitiveness based on world-class technology and operational know-how”.
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ABOUT GS Caltex
Founded in 1967 as Korea’s first private oil company, GS Caltex has grown into a global total energy company, expanding from refining(daily capacity of 800,000 barrels) into petrochemicals, lubricants, and new lower-carbon businesses.
ABOUT VEOLIA
Veolia, a global leader in environmental services, works every day to build ecological security for the benefit of public health and the competitiveness of industries and regions. With 215,000 employees across five continents, working closely with local communities, and thanks to its cutting-edge technologies, the group cleans up pollution, reduces carbon emissions, and regenerates resources through concrete solutions that combine its expertise in water and water technologies, waste - including hazardous waste management, and local energy. In 2025, the Veolia group served 110 million people with drinking water and 97 million with sanitation, produced 45 million megawatt hours of energy, and treated 64 million tons of waste. Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE, Fortune 500, SBF 120) generated consolidated revenue of €44.4 billion in 2025. www.veolia.com
ABOUT VEOLIA IN KOREA
Since entering the market in 1999, Veolia Korea has been actively operating and providing ecological transformation solutions to both industrial and municipal clients. Currently, 1,150 employees work at the Seoul headquarters and 46 operating sites nationwide, delivering comprehensive environmental solutions across industrial water services, wastewater treatment, waste recycling and resource recovery, and energy management. www.veolia.kr
CONTACT VEOLIA KOREA:
Ms. Miyoung CHOI,
Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Veolia Korea
Mobile: +82 10 8725 5298, email: [email protected]