The second meeting of the Czech-Korean dialogue on supply chains and energy, which took place on the occasion of the visit at the level of the Ministers of Industry and Trade of both countries, evaluated the cooperation to date and outlined further steps, for example, in the issues of trade balancing, cooperation in advanced manufacturing or joint activities in third markets. The seminar, organised in cooperation with the CzechInvest agency, then presented to potential new South Korean investors the current conditions for their possible expansion into the Czech Republic as well as successful examples from the past. Last but not least, the Czech-Korean Energy Forum, which was opened by the Minister in Seoul, presented new opportunities for cooperation not only at the academic level. 

The focus of the ministerial trip was the topic of the completion of Dukovany and the sufficient involvement of Czech companies in this project.
"We confirmed the goal of 60% involvement of Czech industry in the completion with our Korean partners during the negotiations.I also put forward a request for a concrete commitment of approximately 30% involvement of the Czech industry before the actual signing of the EPC contract, for example in the form of future contracts," said Minister of Industry and Trade Lukáš Vlček. "The selection of KHNP as the preferred supplier for the new nuclear units at Dukovany opens up new opportunities for Czech-Korean economic and technological cooperation. In Korea, we confirmed that it is our priority to ensure that this cooperation goes beyond nuclear energy and includes research, development, small modular reactors, hydrogen technology, electromobility, battery systems, semiconductors or education," he added. 

Minister Vlček discussed the topics of Dukovany, investment and research with both the acting South Korean President and Prime Minister Sang-mok Choi and representatives of the parliamentary opposition. 

The delegation of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic was accompanied to Seoul by representatives of our major companies under the banner of the Confederation of Industry and Transport of the Czech Republic, both from the ranks of suppliers of energy technologies, systems and industrial units, as well as, for example, transport and medical technology. In order to find as many synergies as possible with potential local partners, the embassy in Seoul facilitated meetings for the Czech entities with major companies from the private sector as well as with representatives of the Korean government and, last but not least, with representatives of local business associations.

If interested, Czech companies can contact the Commercial Department of the Czech Embassy in Seoul at seoul.commerce@mzv.gov.cz.

Jakub Kopecký, Head of the Economic Department at the Czech Embassy Seoul