President Lee Jae-myung spoke over the phone with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala on Wednesday for the first time since taking office last week.

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told reporters that Lee and Fiala spoke for some 20 minutes from 4 p.m.

Kang said Fiala congratulated Lee on his inauguration and expressed contentment over their countries’ relations achieving remarkable progress in various fields.

In particular, the two leaders assessed that the adoption of a deal to build two nuclear reactors in the Czech Republic will serve as a touchstone to further expand bilateral economic cooperation. 

Last Wednesday, South Korea’s Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power and Elektrárna Dukovany II, a subsidiary of the Czech Republic’s main electricity firm, CEZ, signed the final agreement for the estimated 18 billion dollar deal. 

Kang said Lee and Fiala agreed to work closely to expand comprehensive cooperation in other areas, including high-tech industries, infrastructure and energy.