Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jeong-kwan visited the Czech Republic on June 17-18 to meet with Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček. They reviewed the progress of the Dukovany nuclear power project and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in advanced industries.
The two countries held the second meeting of the "Dukovany Project Implementation Monitoring Committee" to assess the project's status. They noted that Team Korea is on track with key schedules, including the submission of licensing documents, and discussed risk management strategies such as securing licensing personnel and planning for heavy cargo transportation. The expansion of Czech company participation and strengthening cooperation between businesses from both countries were also key topics.
Cooperation in the nuclear sector has become more concrete. The two nations held a "Korea-Czech Nuclear Enterprise Partnership Event" to celebrate the first anniversary of the contract signing for the Dukovany project. During the event, a contract for design and licensing technical support between Korea Electric Power Technology and Czech EGP was also signed.
In the third Korea-Czech supply chain and energy dialogue, discussions focused on broadening cooperation beyond nuclear power into advanced industries. The countries reviewed follow-up actions on the "Vltava Advanced Industry Cooperation Vision" adopted last year and discussed the establishment of cooperation centers in robotics, batteries, and future vehicles, as well as the current status of joint research and development (R&D) initiatives.
Additionally, they visited the Czech Technical University in Prague to inspect the planned site for the Advanced Robotics Cooperation Center and a robotics testbed. The Advanced Robotics Cooperation Center is expected to symbolize the collaboration between the two countries, serving as a core hub for joint R&D, technology validation, and personnel exchanges.
This visit to the Czech Republic is seen as an extension of Korea's strategy for developing a nuclear export ecosystem, going beyond just securing nuclear contracts. It aims to establish a long-term industrial partnership that includes construction, design, operation, maintenance, and advanced manufacturing collaboration.
The Czech Republic, a strong manufacturing nation in Europe with a solid foundation in the automotive and battery industries, presents significant opportunities for expanding cooperation in robotics, future vehicles, and batteries. The active presence of Hyundai's Czech plant and Korean battery companies in the region further underscores the importance of stabilizing supply chains.
Minister Kim Jeong-kwan stated, "Considering that the Czech government is pursuing a policy to extend the operational period of nuclear power plants up to 80 years, the Dukovany project will lay the foundation for cooperation that will last over 100 years for future generations. We will expand strategic cooperation beyond nuclear power into advanced industries and supply chains."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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