S. Korea, Czech Republic review progress in joint nuclear energy project

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the Czech Republic have reviewed progress in their joint nuclear energy project and discussed ways to bolster bilateral cooperation in the sector, the industry ministry said Tuesday.

The virtual meeting between Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan and his Czech counterpart, Karel Havlicek, came after a South Korean consortium led by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. formally signed a contract to build the Dukovany nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic last year.

During the third meeting of the Dukovany Steering Committee, the two sides confirmed the project is proceeding as planned and discussed deepening cooperation in the global nuclear energy industry.

Kim, meanwhile, expressed concerns over the European Union's Industrial Accelerator Act, saying it could hinder participation by non-EU countries in the region's nuclear energy industry. He asked Prague to make diplomatic efforts to ensure the act does not adversely affect bilateral ties.

The two sides plan to hold the fourth committee meeting in South Korea this year, alongside business events to promote exchanges between nuclear energy companies from both countries.