Minister Kim Jung-kwan and Vice Minister Park Dong-il will take turns chairing the meetings.
Park opened the first session Monday, which covered how a new builder will be chosen and how to keep a timetable that calls for a construction permit application in April 2027 and groundbreaking in November 2029.
"The competitiveness of Korean nuclear power lies in a 'team spirit' that brings together the strengths of individual companies," Kim said.
"We must build an even stronger Team Korea to prepare for the many export opportunities ahead."
The scramble follows a decision by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) on Oct. 29 to end about 15 months of talks with a consortium of Daewoo Engineering & Construction and Doosan Enerbility.
The consortium had been set to build the two 1,000-megawatt APR1000 reactors.
KHNP had pressed for a fixed lump-sum contract, which it said the Czech project owner had requested. Daewoo E&C, the consortium's lead partner, said KHNP revised the terms on Oct. 7 and refused to extend talks.
Doosan Enerbility said that statement did not reflect its position.
KHNP aims to pick a new builder through competitive bidding by July 2027, and members of the original consortium may bid again.
KHNP signed the main contract on June 4, 2025, hours after the Czech Supreme Administrative Court overturned an injunction won by losing bidder EDF. It is the first export of Korean-designed commercial reactors to Europe.
Petr Zavodsky, chief executive of project owner Elektrarna Dukovany II, said the company would do everything it can to keep the schedule intact.
AJP Takeaways
- South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said on Nov. 2, 2026, that Minister Kim Jung-kwan and Vice Minister Park Dong-il will take turns chairing weekly emergency meetings on the Dukovany nuclear project in the Czech Republic.
- Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power ended construction contract talks with the Daewoo E&C-Doosan Enerbility consortium on Oct. 29, 2026, and plans to choose a new builder through competitive bidding by July 2027.
- The 26 trillion won project covers two APR1000 reactors. Its timetable calls for a construction permit application in April 2027 and the start of construction in November 2029.
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