Prague Confident in Timely Conclusion of Nuclear Talks with South Korea, Czech Official Asserts

PRAGUE: Prague remains confident that ongoing negotiations with South Korea's nuclear power company will proceed without delay, despite recent political unrest in Seoul, according to a senior Czech official. The discussions concern the construction of two reactors at the Dukovany power plant, with a South Korean consortium led by Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) having been selected as the preferred bidder in July.According to Yonhap News Agency, Tomas Ehler, acting director general for nuclear energy at the Czech industry ministry, expressed assurance that the political climate in South Korea, including President Yoon Suk Yeol's recent martial law declaration, will not impact the talks. Ehler communicated via email that Prague expects no hindrance in finalizing the contract or progressing with the project.The Czech Republic continues to monitor developments in South Korea closely, with Ehler noting that Czech representatives maintain regular contact with their South Korean counterparts and KHNP. Ehle r's remarks came in response to inquiries about potential disruptions due to South Korea's internal political situation.During a recent visit to Seoul, Ehler told Yonhap News that the negotiations are progressing as scheduled, with the signing of a final engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract anticipated in March 2025. The deal, if concluded, is valued at 24 trillion won (US$16.7 billion) and would represent South Korea's first overseas nuclear power plant project since 2009, when KHNP secured a contract for the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates.