Slovakian prime minister eyes nuclear power as next step for ties with Korea

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Slovakian prime minister eyes nuclear power as next step for ties with Korea

Published: 30 Sep. 2024, 07:00

LIM JEONG-WON
lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico speaks during a press conference with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the Carmelite Monastery in Budapest, Hungary, on Jan. 16. [AP/YONHAP]

Korea and Slovakia could significantly enhance their bilateral relations as the two countries share interconnected security challenges, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico stressed in an interview ahead of his upcoming visit to Seoul.

“We regard the Republic of Korea as a well-respected political and business partner with extensive, mutually benefiting investments in Slovakia,” Fico told the Korea JoongAng Daily in a recent written interview, emphasizing that Bratislava hopes to foster closer ties with Seoul in a range of sectors from cultural exchanges, research and development, new technologies and perhaps even in the nuclear energy sector, expressing hopes "to enhance our rich cooperation also by adding the topic of cooperation in nuclear energy into our bilateral dialogue."

Slovakia recently announced plans to build an additional nuclear power plant block with a capacity of up to 1,200 megawatt-hours at the existing Jaslovske Bohunice site, further expanding the country's nuclear infrastructure to enhance energy security and contribute to its low-carbon energy goals.

Fico, recovering from a recent assassination attempt in May in the Slovakian town of Handlova, is scheduled to visit Seoul from Sunday to Tuesday to meet with President Yoon Suk Yeol and discuss ways to heighten bilateral cooperation between Korea and Slovakia.

An iconic figure in Slovakian politics, having founded the Direction – Social Democracy party in 1999 and having served as prime minister from 2006 to 2010, 2012 to 2018 and again from 2023 to the present, Fico is a veteran statesman who previously visited Seoul during the Roh Moo-hyun administration in 2007.

Fico also addressed a new nuclear power plant project ongoing in Slovakia, security challenges faced by Europe in connection with the Indo-Pacific region and Yoon’s recent unification doctrine regarding North Korea.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q. With the world growing more politically polarized, what are your thoughts on its effect not only in Slovakia but globally, especially in light of the heinous attack on you in May?

A. We see increasing polarization of societies across all the democratic worlds. In this sense, Slovakia is no exception. This trend was also visible in the recent elections to the European Parliament but also, for example, in the U.S. presidential campaign and elsewhere. We see growing stress and uncertainty among citizens as a series of crises have changed the global security, economic, and political landscape. In the past 15 years, we have gone through economic and financial crises, migratory crises, Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, and war in our immediate neighborhood. These phenomena have fueled insecurities, with many people losing their prospects for a prosperous and stable life.

This trend of political polarization has negative impacts on the security and stability of society. The best way to curb political radicalism is to pursue policies that build common ground and reduce animosity between groups. In this regard, both political leaders and citizens must play a part in steering the society away from destructive impulses and protecting it from misinformation, harmful ideologies, and extremism. Violence has no place in political or social discourse.

As prime minister, this is your first visit to South Korea in 17 years, since October 2007, when you signed an agreement with President Roh Moo-hyun to strengthen cultural cooperation with South Korea. What are some of the issues you hope to address and accomplishments you wish to achieve during this visit?

I firmly believe that promoting understanding between our respective countries through the development of cooperation in the fields of culture, education and tourism is equally as important as deepening our economic or political cooperation. Slovak and Korean cultural representatives demonstrated amazing enthusiasm in presenting their own countries. In this regard, I am happy that we have seen some very tangible results that were able to flourish also thanks to the Program for Cooperation between the Slovak and Korean Ministries of Foreign Affairs for the years 2020-2024.

Let me assure the Korean public that we shall not cease our efforts in presenting Slovakia to them, and we equally stand ready to welcome your artists in Slovakia. I am looking forward to my colleagues coming up with new ideas for cooperation in the fields of culture, education, sport and tourism for the years to come. I am certain that our newly formed Ministry of Sport and Tourism is ready to contribute to this effort.

Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar, who visited in May, mentioned “research and development, new technologies such as industrial robots” and “security” as the main areas of cooperation with South Korea during his meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul. Why do you think cooperation in these areas is necessary and important for Slovakia?

Slovakia is dedicated to cultivating a stable and supportive business environment — one that not only encourages investment in traditional sectors but also fosters growth in science, research and technology. By strategically focusing on cutting-edge fields like robotics and artificial intelligence, we aim to accelerate Slovakia’s digital transformation and bolster our global competitiveness.

Our collaboration with the Republic of Korea in industrial robotics and AI holds immense promise. By integrating advanced technologies, we can significantly enhance productivity and efficiency within Slovak industries. Automation will allow us to streamline repetitive, hazardous and labor-intensive tasks, leading to improved workplace safety and cost reduction. These efforts align seamlessly with Slovakia’s goals of embracing Industry 4.0 standards and increasing automation. Through this partnership, we gain access to South Korea’s state-of-the-art expertise, empowering us to develop a highly skilled workforce capable of operating and maintaining these sophisticated systems.

As modern democratic nations, Slovakia and South Korea share interconnected security challenges. Cooperation in defense and security discussions, coupled with collaboration in technology-driven industries, becomes paramount for safeguarding our mutual interests. Recently, our countries signed a crucial memorandum of understanding emphasizing defense ties — particularly in areas like military cyberdefense. This partnership is essential as Slovakia fortifies its security infrastructure and addresses emerging threats in the digital age.

In May, you announced that Slovakia will build an additional nuclear power plant block with an output of up to 1,200 megawatt-hours for the existing nuclear power infrastructure in Jaslovske Bohunice. Why does Slovakia wish to expand its nuclear power plants and is there an approximate completion date?

Nuclear energy in the Slovak Republic historically represents the biggest component of the power generation mix, with more than 61 percent. As you may know, this low-carbon energy source is secure, reliable and environmentally acceptable, and its further development is widely supported not only across the whole political spectrum but also by society.

If Slovakia wants to meet ambitious global “net zero” goals, meet all its relevant national energy and climate commitments, and prepare its economy properly for rising electricity demand soon, the development of the nuclear sector is an inevitable step forward.

The Government of the Slovak Republic is aware of the trends related to the energy transition and, consequently, on May 15, approved a plan to build a new fifth block in the Jaslovske Bohunice nuclear power plant with a capacity of 1,200 megawatt-hours. As for now, it is highly demanding to approximate the date of completion or commissioning of the block because it depends on multiple factors such as permit processes, financing, technology suppliers and others.

South Korea has recently reached an agreement to export a nuclear power plant to the Czech Republic. What do you see as the likelihood of Slovakia’s nuclear cooperation with South Korea? It has been reported that a new plan for nuclear power will be developed by the end of October, could this — nuclear cooperation between Slovakia and South Korea — be announced at that time?

The most important fact is that Slovakia politically supports diversification of nuclear fuel and technology supplies. This policy reduces our dependency on one supplier, and also strengthens national and regional energy security. Moreover, it opens doors for possible nuclear cooperation with new partners.

We regard the Republic of Korea as a well-respected political and business partner with extensive, mutually benefiting investments in Slovakia. I wish to enhance our rich cooperation also by adding the topic of cooperation in nuclear energy into our bilateral dialogue. The Slovak Republic is on a trajectory of nuclear power sector development and is open to any new and relevant perspective partnerships.

Russia and North Korea recently signed a new comprehensive strategic partnership, close to a military treaty, in June. In accordance, North Korea has been sending artillery shells to Russia to support its war in Ukraine. What information can Slovakia provide to its partners, including South Korea, regarding North Korea’s arms supplies to Russia?

The security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific is closely interlinked. The Republic of Korea is a like-minded country and a NATO partner in the Indo-Pacific. As you know, President Yoon attended both the Vilnius and Washington NATO leaders’ summits, where Ukraine and North Korea were discussed.

On Aug. 15 this year, President Yoon announced a new unification doctrine, a vision for the reunification of the two Koreas based on values such as freedom and human rights. Do you have any thoughts on the South Korean government’s new vision for reunification or a message for North Korea?

I want to emphasize that Slovakia consistently supports all efforts of the Republic of Korea in an endeavor to find a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the challenges on the Korean Peninsula.

President Yoon's new unification effort is a significant initiative that confirms the universal validity, viability and importance of peace, prosperity and freedom, not only on the Korean Peninsula but also within an increasingly attacked rules-based international system. The Korean Peninsula faces complex challenges due to both physical and ideological divisions. However, as we can see, democracy and freedom have been synonymous with prosperity, as is evident in the Republic of Korea, the standard of living of its citizens, and its growing economy and international profile. These were right choices in the past, and they are also today.

With its own experience of transitioning from a socialist system to a capitalist economy, Slovakia understands and welcomes any peaceful measures based on values that could contribute to unification on the Korean Peninsula. Consequently, my message in this regard is as follows: Continue in your efforts to engage in dialogue and diplomatic negotiations with North Korea at all levels.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]