
Minister of Industry and Trade Lukáš Vlček held talks with the new administration in Korea
23.07.2025 / 20:47 | Aktualizováno: 02.08.2025 / 22:42
As part of a tour of the Asian region, a delegation led by Minister of Industry and Trade Lukáš Vlček visited the cities of Busan and Seoul in mid-July. The meetings focused on discussing further steps in the completion of the Dukovany nuclear power plant with the new South Korean administration, attracting new investments to the Czech Republic, and establishing closer ties between Czech and Korean companies. The delegation, which also included members of both chambers of parliament and representatives of Czech business, discussed these topics with a number of partners, from Prime Minister Min-seok Kim to the influential Korea International Trade Association.
The nuclear industry has long been a strategic pillar of Korea's energy mix, currently accounting for approximately 30% of it. Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and its subsidiary Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) operate 26 commercial reactors and provide both production and service and engineering activities. Since the 1970s, the country has gradually evolved from an importer of know-how to an exporter – one example is the four APR1400 reactors project in the United Arab Emirates. Significant attention is being paid to the development of small modular reactors (SMRs), investment in research and development of fast reactors and nuclear fuel recycling technologies, as well as the digital modernization of existing facilities and safety innovations, including passive cooling systems.
The ministerial visit focused primarily on establishing contacts with the new South Korean administration and confirming its support for the completion of the Dukovany nuclear power plant project. To this end, Minister Vlček was the first foreign dignitary to meet with Prime Minister Min-seok KIM. This was followed by meetings with his counterparts, representatives of potential investors in the Czech Republic and the management of KHNP. "In addition to a ten-year strategic partnership, South Korea is linked to us by the most important project for our republic – the completion of the Dukovany nuclear power plant. The Prime Minister confirmed to me the new government's full support for the continuation of the project,‘ said Minister Vlček. ’Korea is one of the Czech Republic's three largest trading partners in Asia, and Korean companies contribute significantly to Czech employment and GDP growth. In addition to nuclear energy, the Prime Minister and I also discussed continuing cooperation in the fields of semiconductors, the automotive industry and university education. The development of our relations is also helped by the strengthened daily direct line between Prague and Seoul," he added.
During their trip, the delegation visited the Saeul nuclear power plant and met with Czech students at KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School (KINGS). KINGS has been cooperating with Czech institutions for a long time, and dozens of our academics have already completed its courses and programs.
The delegation from the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade also included representatives of both chambers of parliament, who met with their counterparts in the National Assembly in Seoul. They were received by Cheol-gyu LEE, Chairman of the Committee on Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. Last but not least, a business delegation under the auspices of the CzechTrade agency also joined the trip. The embassy in Seoul arranged, for example, a meeting with representatives and members of the important business association Korea International Trade Association (KITA).
Jednání s premiérem
Jednání s MPO KR
Jakub Kopecký, head of the commercial department of the Czech Embassy