[Unofficial Translation] 

Honorable Prime Minister Petr Fiala, distinguished representatives of the Czech nuclear industry from around the country and Korean nuclear energy professionals who have traveled all this way,

It’s a great pleasure to meet all of you here in Plzeň, the industrial and technological hub of the Czech Republic.

Today, we’re all witnessing a historic moment in our bilateral nuclear cooperation. First of all, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to the Prime Minister and the people of the Czech Republic for selecting “Team Korea” as the preferred bidder for the New Nuclear Power Source at Dukovany, the largest national project in Czech history.

Today, there are three key points I’d like to highlight regarding the Dukovany nuclear power plant.

First, I want to emphasize that the Republic of Korea is the optimal partner for the project. Korea broke ground on its first nuclear power plant in 1971, a time when the country’s per capita GDP was less than US$300. In the 50-plus years since, all 30 of our nuclear power plants have been operated safely.

The four units at the United Arab Emirates’ Barakah Nuclear Power Plant are considered among the most successfully constructed such facilities in the world. Since 2021, each units has been completed and gone online as planned. The “On Time, On Budget” promise kept at Barakah will be honored in the Czech Republic as well.

Second, the new nuclear power plants in the Czech Republic will be jointly built by the Republic of Korea and the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic has a heavy industry group, Škoda, which was founded 155 years ago. The country’s nuclear power ecosystem remains robust as it has operated nuclear power plants since the 1980s. Today, Team Korea and the Czech Republic’s excellent nuclear power-related companies signed MOUs aimed at future collaboration.

The turbines manufactured here at Doosan Škoda Power will be used in the new nuclear power plants. We also signed an agreement to develop supply chains for materials and other equipment besides turbines. In addition to the construction of nuclear power plants, our two countries agreed to cooperate throughout the entire nuclear power ecosystem lifecycle, on design, operation, nuclear fuel, nuclear waste and more. The Korean government will provide all available support to ensure that the agreements on nuclear power cooperation reached today between businesses from both countries are fulfilled faithfully.

Third, nuclear power cooperation will help Korea and Czechia become future leaders in the global nuclear renaissance. Currently, plans are underway for the construction of over 100 nuclear power plants worldwide, and this will foster a market worth more than 1 quadrillion won. Many countries are taking note of the fact that expanding nuclear power offers a three-pronged solution: It provides a stable power supply to high-tech industries, helps achieve carbon neutrality and solves energy security issues.

This is why 25 countries, including Korea and Czechia, joined the Net Zero Nuclear initiative in December last year and pledged to triple their nuclear power generation capacity by 2050. If outstanding nuclear power businesses from both countries join forces in Plzeň and Dukovany, the nuclear power plants built by the two nations will make nights in Prague even brighter and provide electric cars in other countries with a boost of energy.

Today, as we pledge to keep the promise made in Plzeň, let’s all join forces to usher in a new future for the Republic of Korea and the Czech Republic.

Thank you.