South Korean delegation to visit Czech Republic for nuclear power plant deal

Seoul, May 6
A South Korean delegation was set to travel to the Czech Republic on Tuesday to attend the signing ceremony of a multibillion-dollar nuclear power plant deal and discuss expanding bilateral economic cooperation with the European country, Seoul's industry ministry said.

The delegation, comprising government and parliamentary officials, will pay a two-day visit to Prague to attend the ceremony slated for Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

It will also meet with the Czech prime minister and president of the Senate to discuss expanding bilateral economic cooperation in the nuclear power plant and advanced industries, as well as infrastructure, Yonhap news agency reported.

South Korean delegates include Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun, Land Minister Park Sang-woo and Rep. Lee Chul-gyu, chair of the parliamentary industry committee.

A South Korean consortium, led by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP), will sign a final agreement with the Czech's Elektrarna Dukovany II on the project to build two nuclear power units at the Dukovany power plant, located some 200 kilometres south of Prague.

The deal, estimated to be worth 26 trillion won (US$18.8 billion), marks South Korea's first overseas nuclear power plant project since 2009, when the KHNP won the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant contract in the United Arab Emirates.

In July 2024, South Korea was selected as the preferred bidder for the Czech project.