S. Korea, Czech Republic agree to team up for 100-year nuclear power alliance

Sep 23, 2024, 11:05 pm

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President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee stand next to their counterparts, Czech President Petr Pavel and his wife Eva Pavlová, during an official welcome ceremony held at the first courtyard of Prague Castle in the Czech Republic on Sept. 19, 2024./ Source: Yonhap

AsiaToday reporter Hong Sun-mi

President Yoon Suk-yeol returned home from an official visit to the Czech Republic on Sunday.

Yoon’s Czech visit promoted Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power’s (KHNP) bid to build two nuclear power plants in Dukovany, after being selected as a preferred bidder. The president also stressed the Czech Republic’s commitment to establishing a nuclear energy alliance to cooperate in the entire cycle of nuclear power projects ranging form construction to human resource training, and laid the groundwork for both countries to advance into the global nuclear power plant market as well as win additional orders for local nuclear power plants.

The two countries decided to strengthen cooperation in all areas of economy and industry, including nuclear power plants, raising expectations that South Korean companies will have more opportunities to enter the Czech market.

During his summit with Czech President Petr Pavel and a meeting with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Yoon has repeatedly confirmed the Czech Republic’s willingness to select KHNP as the final successful bidder for the Dukovany project and to enter the global nuclear power market with South Korea.

In a joint press release shortly after the meeting with Czech Prime Minister on Friday, Yoon said, “We hope that South Korea and the Czech Republic will evolve into a nuclear energy alliance that looks ahead to the next 100 years.” At the summit with President Pavel on Saturday, Yoon said, “The new Dukovany nuclear power plant, to be constructed jointly by South Korea and Czech companies, will serve as a milestone in the mutual economic development and energy cooperation of both nations, further strengthening our strategic partnership.”

In response to Yoon’s expression of will, Pavel said that he is optimistic about KHNP winning the order and the construction of a new nuclear power plant is an opportunity to dramatically develop strategic relations and economic cooperation between the two countries.

He talked about the two sides working together to win joint nuclear power plant orders in third countries such as Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.

If KHNP wins the final contract for the Dukovany power plant project in March next year, South Korea will achieve its second nuclear power plant export in 15 years since the Baraka nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates in 2009. It is expected to be a turning point to recover for the domestic nuclear power plant industry, which was on the verge of being removed under the previous administration.

This development coincides with the upcoming year, which will mark the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership. Both countries adopted the joint statement on strengthening the South Korea-Czech Strategic Partnership, which will strengthen cooperation in various areas, including nuclear energy, defense, investments, science, technology and innovation, ICT, cybersecurity, infrastructure and transportation, as well as tourism, culture and sports.

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