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Finalization of Czech nuclear plant deal set for May 7

Published: 30 Apr. 2025, 23:27 Updated: 30 Apr. 2025, 23:38

CHO YONG-JUN
[email protected]

The Dukovany nuclear power plant site in Dukovany, the Czech Republic [KOREA HYDRO & NUCLEAR POWER]

Korea and the Czech Republic agreed on finalizing the Dukovany nuclear plant construction deal on May 7, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Wednesday.

"The two countries are discussing plans such as hosting a signing ceremony, and will try their best to ensure its successful hosting," the Energy Ministry said in a press release.

The Korean presidential plane, known as the Code One, is scheduled to fly out of Korea on May 6 to the Czech Republic and return on May 8, according to Democratic Party Rep. Chung Chin-ook on Wednesday.

It is unclear whether Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who is rumored to resign on May 1 to run for the presidency, or Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok will be aboard the presidential plane.

Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun, right, and the Czech Republic's Minister for Industry and Trade Lukas Vlcek pose for a photo ahead of the second round of the Korea-Czech ministerial supply chain and energy dialogue in Seoul on Feb. 17. [YONHAP]

The nuclear deal experienced multiple hurdles before the agreement was reached on Wednesday. In August of last year, U.S. firm Westinghouse alleged that KHNP’s nuclear reactor designs utilized the company’s licensed Generation II System technology, eventually settling with Korea Electric Power Corp. and KHNP in January.

Westinghouse agreed to dismiss all legal action and pledged to work with Korea in future global nuclear projects, but the details of the deal remain undisclosed. That deal was also initially scheduled to be finalized by March, with speculation that Korea’s unstable political landscape affected its finalization.

BY CHO YONG-JUN [[email protected]]