South Korea's Yoon confident Czech nuclear plant deal will be completed despite legal concerns

Korea Electric Power

18/09/2024 23:00

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      President Yoon to visit Czech Republic on Sept. 19-22 
    

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      EDF and Westinghouse appeal Czech nuclear project decision
    

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      Yoon aims to facilitate solution on intellectual property
rights
    

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      North Korea-Russia military cooperation also in focus
    

  
    By Hyonhee Shin
       SEOUL, Sept 19 (Reuters) - South Korea is confident it
can overcome any obstacles to a multi-billion dollar project to
build a nuclear plant in the Czech Republic, despite appeals
against the deal launched by EDF and Westinghouse, President
Yoon Suk Yeol told Reuters.
    Yoon, in a written response to questions ahead of his Sept.
19-22 visit to the Czech Republic, said the trip was partly
aimed at ensuring the final contract was concluded seamlessly,
adding that the project's success was of "paramount importance".
    The Czech Republic in July picked Korea Hydro & Nuclear
Power (KHNP) to build two new nuclear power units, and possibly
more, in its largest-ever energy investment initiative. 
    But an appeal by Westinghouse - on the grounds that KHNP
lacks a licensing agreement to export reactors which are based
on the U.S. group's technology - has emerged as a potential
obstacle. France's state energy firm EDF has also appealed the
Czech decision after losing in the final tender round. 
    Yoon said Seoul and Washington were working to create an
"amicable atmosphere" among businesses in the nuclear energy
sector as part of efforts to iron out any differences over
intellectual property rights and expedite collaboration. 
    "I believe this effort will help facilitate a smooth
resolution to any dispute that might arise between the two
sides," he said. "There is no need to worry about the Czech
Republic's nuclear power plant construction project."  
    Yoon's trip comes as Seoul and Prague celebrate the 35th
anniversary of diplomatic relations. He is due to hold talks
with Czech President Petr Pavel and Prime Minister Petr Fiala
and to visit nuclear energy companies in Plzen, his office said.
    
    SECURITY TIES
    Since coming to power in 2022, Yoon has sought to ramp up
security ties with European countries and NATO, partly propelled
by deepening military cooperation between North Korea and
Russia. 
    Seoul and Washington have accused Pyongyang of providing
missiles, munitions and other weapons to Moscow for use in the
war in Ukraine, in return for economic and other military
assistance. Moscow and Pyongyang have denied this. 
    North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles on
Wednesday, the second such launch within a week. The South's
military has said last week's test of what the North described
as a new 600-mm multiple launch rocket system could be intended
for export to Russia. 
    Yoon said he would explore joint responses with Czech
leaders to address North Korea's nuclear and missile development
and Pyongyang's increasing military transactions with Russia. 
    "Their illicit military and economic cooperation... has
greatly underscored the need to strengthen cooperation with
countries in Europe like the Czech Republic, which share the
same values as us," Yoon said. 
    After North Korea and Russia this year clinched a strategic
partnership treaty, Yoon's administration warned that it could
consider arming Ukraine with lethal weapons, a potential shift
from its policy of sticking to humanitarian and economic aid, if
Moscow supplied Pyongyang with advanced weapons technology.
    Yoon declined to specify what his red line would be but said
that North Korea and Russia would face consequences if they
threatened South Korea's security. 
    "Any actions threatening the safety and lives of our people
cannot be tolerated," he said. 

 (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin
Editing by Ed Davies and Gareth Jones)
 ((hyonhee.shin@thomsonreuters.com;))