Czech, S. Korean leaders meet on economic cooperation

PRAGUE, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) — Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala on Friday met with visiting South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on deepening economic relations and developing scientific and technical cooperation.
The two leaders discussed in particular the expansion of nuclear cooperation, including the involvement of Czech companies in the construction of new nuclear units at the Dukovany nuclear power plant, according to a statement issued by the Czech government.
Yoon’s visit came about two months after the Czech government decided that two new reactors at the Dukovany nuclear power plant in the country’s southern region would be built by South Korean company Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power.
“In its offer, the Korean side declared that it would involve up to 60 percent of Czech companies in the preparation and construction of new nuclear units, which would mean contracts worth more than 240 billion crowns (about 10.69 billion U.S. dollars). I believe that we will be able to achieve this common goal,” Fiala said.
He emphasized that relations between the Czech Republic and South Korea have been “more intense than ever” in recent years, which opens the door to new projects.
“Prospective areas are small modular reactors, hydrogen technologies, energy engineering, health care or the defense, aviation, and space industries,” Fiala said.
During the South Korean president’s visit, the two countries also signed several agreements and memoranda on economic and innovation cooperation, supply chains, and railway transport. ■