Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy An Deok-geun met with Minister Lukáš Vlček of the Czech Ministry of Trade and Industry on the 17th to cooperate in advanced institutional sectors such as batteries, future vehicles, and robotics.
The two ministers held the '2nd Supply Chain and Energy Dialogue (SCED)' that day. SCED is a cooperation channel aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership between South Korea and the Czech Republic in the industrial and energy sectors. The first meeting was held in September 2024 in Prague to establish a comprehensive economic cooperation foundation between the two countries across the fields of industrial, trade, and energy, including nuclear power.
The 2nd SCED meeting was held to review cooperation items in trade, investment, and supply chains, as well as in advanced institutional sectors, low-carbon energy, and nuclear power, and to discuss future cooperation plans in depth.
The two countries discussed plans to establish cooperation centers in the three core areas of advanced institutional sectors: batteries, future vehicles, and robotics. They signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on semiconductor cooperation to lay the groundwork for research and development (R&D) and workforce training in the semiconductor sector.
In addition, regarding low-carbon energy, the two governments agreed to share energy efficiency policies in the industrial, energy, and transportation sectors and to strengthen cooperation in the development of clean hydrogen technology. They also discussed collaboration plans related to joint R&D and workforce training in the nuclear power sector.
Minister An Deok-geun noted, 'Through this 2nd SCED and the accompanying event, the 'Korea-Czech Investment and Business Conference' taking place in the afternoon, we will expand trade and investment between the two countries.' He added, 'I hope we can further develop comprehensive cooperation in various fields such as advanced manufacturing, supply chains, and energy cooperation.' A total of six MOUs will be signed between corporations and institutions of the two countries at the conference.