The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries said Tuesday that the government will push ahead with the development of fresh spring water and air-cooling energy utilizing sea water from a depth of 200 meters starting this year.

After completing feasibility and profitability surveys last year, the ministry will invest 2.85 billion won this year in developing water usage models and designing facilities to pump the deep-sea water.

It will start developing an air-conditioning system utilizing the low temperature energy of deep water and producing spring water from 2003.