Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae (right) shakes hands with Czech Ambassador to Korea Ivan Jancarek at the Party Leaders Meeting Room in the National Assembly on Tuesday. (Yonhap) Czech envoy to South Korea Ivan Jancarek and Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae reviewed energy, defense, and people-to-people ties between the Czech Republic and the Republic of Korea on Tuesday.
Jung recalled the recent visit to the Czech Republic by Korea’s interior minister and underlined plans to boost cooperation in disaster response, digital governance, and the energy sector, including the Dukovany nuclear project, according to the Public Affairs Bureau of the Democratic Party of Korea.
The Dukovany project is significant for Korea as Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power will supply two 1,000-megawatt APR1000 reactors and lead the entire project in collaboration with Korean partners, covering design, construction, commissioning, and fuel supply.
It is Korea’s first nuclear export to Europe and second globally, highlighting the competitiveness of Korea’s nuclear industry, and supporting safe, sustainable energy.
Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung led a public administration cooperation delegation to Prague last month, meeting Czech leaders and hosting a Korea-Czech Public Administration Experts Roundtable.
The visit focused on public administration, AI, cybersecurity, energy projects, and nuclear plant and lithium development, while promoting human, cultural, and economic exchanges.
“Cooperation will continue to expand beyond nuclear and energy into various future-oriented high-tech sectors,” said Jancarek, adding that the Dukovany nuclear project fortified Korea-Czech ties. The envoy also praised Korea’s support for Ukraine.
The Czech Embassy in Seoul said the meeting was a courtesy call with the Democratic Party’s new leadership.
“We assessed current bilateral cooperation, especially in the areas of nuclear, defense, and the automotive sector, as well as people-to-people contact,” the embassy told The Korea Herald.
“We also informed them of the establishment of the new government in Czechia and asked to reinitiate possible exchanges between parties, ministries, and members of parliament,” the embassy added.
sanjaykumar@heraldcorp.com