Minister Ahn Duk-geun of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said, "We will successfully promote the new nuclear power plant construction project in Dukovany, Czech Republic, and cooperate in joint entry into third countries."
According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on the 8th, Minister Ahn noted during a press conference held the previous day at the Golden Hall of the Lihtenstein Palace in Czech Republic, "I regret that we have not reached a final contract, but the trust between the two countries has actually strengthened just as the ground hardens after the rain," adding, "I will work closely with the Czech side to finalize the main contract as soon as possible."
Earlier, the Brno District Court in Czech Republic issued a preliminary injunction on the 6th prohibiting the final contract signing between Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and EDU II, a subsidiary of ČEZ, until a ruling on the administrative lawsuit filed by Electricité de France (EDF) is made. The Czech government has approved a cabinet meeting stating that "if the preliminary injunction is lifted and it becomes possible to finalize the new nuclear power plant construction contract, we will sign a final contract with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power."
Minister Ahn emphasized, "If the Czech people confirm how superior the stability and cost-effectiveness of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's nuclear power generation facilities are, we may be able to aim for the Temelin Unit 2 order in five years as a reversal of fortunes."
The two countries decided to proceed with the construction of the Dukovany nuclear power plant while also promoting joint entry into third countries. Minister Ahn stated, "Considering the domestic and international nuclear power plants, the high-level radioactive waste treatment facilities, and the construction of two nuclear power plants in Czech Republic, it seems that the domestic nuclear ecosystem will not be able to handle all of them."
He added, "We should not only end with this nuclear power business order but also look at the global nuclear power industry as a whole and pursue its potential," noting that "I consider Doosan Škoda Power of Czech Republic as an ally for entering the global market."
Minister Ahn believes that cooperation can occur beyond nuclear power, such as in technological advancement. He mentioned, "Czech Republic is at the stage just before transitioning from manufacturing to high-tech industries, similar to our country in the 1980s. While they have manufacturing assets, they lack advanced technology infrastructure, so we can collaborate on industrial-academic cooperation or the expansion of social transportation network infrastructure."
He noted, "We are also in a situation where we need to strategically allocate production bases around the world," adding, "If nuclear power becomes established as a safe energy source in Czech Republic, artificial intelligence (AI) or data centers may emerge, allowing the two countries to complement and coexist with one another."
On the same day, Korea and Czech Republic signed a total of 14 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOU) in the fields of nuclear power and advanced industries. This has led to the postponement of the final contract for the nuclear power plant, but observations suggest that the scope of cooperation has expanded in advanced industries, energy, and construction.
That day, Minister Ahn met with Czech Minister of Industry and Trade, Lukáš Vlček, to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in the nuclear power industry, as well as cooperation in advanced industries such as batteries and automobiles. He also met with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala to discuss cooperation across various sectors, including industry, energy, and construction.
Meanwhile, Minister Ahn expressed regret over the conflict between Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), stating, "This is not a matter for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to dictate," while also saying, "I will encourage that this matter be resolved as quickly as possible."