Anchor: President Yoon Suk Yeol and Czech President Petr Pavel held a summit in Prague Thursday and decided to expand coordination in cutting-edge industries and energy security. Yoon also suggested forging a nuclear energy alliance now that Prague has selected South Korea’s state nuclear power plant operator as the preferred bidder for a nuclear reactor construction project there.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: Leaders of South Korea and the Czech Republic agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in all areas, including economic and security cooperation, ahead of the tenth anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries, which falls next year.

At a summit held Thursday between President Yoon Suk Yeol and his Czech counterpart, Petr Pavel, during Yoon's four-day official visit, the leaders agreed to seek strategic coordination in cutting-edge industries and energy security.

The agreement follows Prague's decision to select Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power(KHNP) as the preferred bidder for its project to build new nuclear power reactors at the Dukovany plant, with a contract expected to be signed in March.

Yoon suggested establishing a nuclear energy alliance and pledged to work alongside the Czech Republic throughout the duration of the construction project.

Pavel said his country has high expectations of South Korea's participation in the Dukovany project, adding that he is optimistic about KHNP winning the order.

He talked about the two sides working together to win joint nuclear power plant orders in third countries such as Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.

Calling North Korea and Russia's increasing military cooperation "illegal" and a "shared security threat” for Europe and the Indo-Pacific region, the leaders agreed to coordinate closely to thoroughly enforce the UN Security Council sanctions.

They also promised bilateral cooperation on humanitarian aid and reconstruction initiatives in war-ravaged Ukraine.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.