Kim Hoe-cheon, president of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP), chose the Czech Republic for his first overseas trip after taking office.
On the 15th, KHNP said Kim visited the Czech Republic on the 13th–14th local time and met with key local officials, including Karel Havlíček, Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and first deputy prime minister of the Czech Republic. Kim also inspected the construction site of the Dukovany nuclear power plant.
The Dukovany nuclear power plant project is to build two 1,000-megawatt (MW) Korean-type reactors (APR1000) in the Dukovany region of the Czech Republic. After the main contract was signed in June 2025, the project has been under execution. Kim visited the Czech Republic to ensure the successful completion of the construction of the two Dukovany reactors.
Kim met with the management of ČEZ and the client (EDU II) to lay out the vision and commitment for the successful completion of the project. He then met with Ivan Bednárik, Minister of Transport of the Czech Republic, and requested continued government attention and support, including the timely development of transportation infrastructure for transporting large equipment. In a meeting with the vice chair of the Czech State Office for Nuclear Safety (SÚJB), he said, "We will strictly comply with and faithfully carry out the relevant laws and standards throughout the entire licensing process."
At a meeting with Karel Havlíček, Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and first deputy prime minister of the Czech Republic, Kim exchanged views on policy directions for advancing the Dukovany project. Kim emphasized that every effort would be made to ensure the project proceeds stably according to the planned schedule.
They also discussed plans for mutually beneficial cooperation with the local community. Kim met with the governor of South Moravia, which, as a neighboring region to Vysočina—home to the Dukovany plant—will play an important role in providing foundational infrastructure to support the project, and, together with the client's management, discussed ways to cooperate with the local community for mutual benefit.
For the final stop of the Czech visit, Kim inspected the Dukovany construction site to directly review construction readiness. Encouraging on-site staff, President Kim Hoe-cheon repeatedly urged thorough project management that puts safety and quality first.
Kim said, "The Dukovany nuclear power plant project is a key initiative for the Czech Republic's energy security and carbon neutrality," adding, "KHNP will faithfully carry out the Dukovany project while, as a 'first mover' in the global nuclear market, strengthening the international competitiveness of Korea's nuclear power."