Czech special envoy to visit S. Korea next month after nuclear plant deal

A Czech special envoy is scheduled to visit South Korea early next month to discuss potential bilateral industrial cooperation after a South Korean consortium was chosen as the preferred bidder for a nuclear plant project in the Czech Republic, government sources said Wednesday.

The Czech delegation is anticipated to visit South Korea from Sept. 3 to 6, during which they are expected to meet with high-ranking officials and visit major institutions, according to the government sources.

During the visit, the Czech officials expressed their intention to visit the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology, an organization under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, to discuss bilateral industrial ties.

The planned visit follows the recent selection of a South Korean consortium, led by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), as the preferred bidder for a nuclear power plant project in the Czech Republic, estimated to be worth around 24 trillion won (US$18 billion).

Pundits suggest that the Czech delegation may explore broad industrial cooperation with South Korea, potentially extending beyond nuclear reactor construction to encompass other strategic sectors, as proposed by Seoul during the nuclear project negotiations.

Prior to the announcement of the preferred bidder last month, President Yoon Suk Yeol sent Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun to the European nation to deliver a letter to Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, proposing industrial cooperation beyond the nuclear project.

Meanwhile, the two sides are expected to sign an official deal in March next year, with construction planned to start in 2029 and the trial operation of the first new reactor scheduled for 2036.