Energy minister to discuss nuclear bid in Saudi Arabia

Korea’s energy minister will visit Saudi Arabia next week as Seoul seeks to tender a bid to build two nuclear reactors in the Middle Eastern nation, the government said Thursday.

Paik Un-gyu, minister of trade, industry and energy, plans to visit the resource-rich kingdom from March 11 to 13 to meet with Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih and other officials to hold nuclear cooperation talks.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude oil exporter, has received requests for information (RFI) from five nations - Korea, China, the United States, France and Russia - to build two nuclear reactors.

The country is expected to shortlist two to three preferred bidders by April and plans to select a winner by the end of this year, according to local reports.

Paik will introduce Korea’s nuclear program and discuss ways to step up cooperation between the two nations, the ministry said.

Yonhap