Yoon dispatches special envoys to the Czech Republic, plans to visit Prague soon over nuclear plant deal

President Yoon Suk Yeol dispatched special envoys to the Czech Republic to discuss follow-up measures after a Korean consortium was selected as the preferred bidder for a major nuclear power plant project, the presidential office said Tuesday.

Sung Tae-yoon, left, presidential chief of staff for policy, and Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun walk through Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 1 ahead of departing for the Czech Republic on Tuesday as special envoys to President Yoon Suk Yeol. They are expected to discuss follow-up measures after the Czech government named Korea as the preferred bidder for a major nuclear power plant project in Dukovany. [NEWS1]

President Yoon Suk Yeol dispatched special envoys to the Czech Republic to discuss follow-up measures after a Korean consortium was selected as the preferred bidder for a major nuclear power plant project, the presidential office said Tuesday.

Sung Tae-yoon, presidential chief of staff for policy, and Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun departed Seoul for a three-day trip later Tuesday to meet Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Sikela.

The two presidential special envoys were set to deliver a personal letter from Yoon "to express appreciation" for selecting Korea as the preferred bidder, Jeong Hye-jeon, presidential spokesperson, said in a briefing.

The envoys will hold "intensive discussions on follow-up measures" with Czech officials, such as establishing an intergovernmental hotline, Jeong added. Such efforts are expected to help guide the process of reaching a final deal.

Last Wednesday, a consortium led by the state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) was selected as the preferred bidder to build two nuclear reactors in Dukovany in the Czech Republic, an estimated 24 trillion won ($17.2 billion) project.

KHNP partnered with Doosan Enerbility, Korea's sole provider of major nuclear power equipment, and local construction company Daewoo E&C to beat French state-run electricity corporation Électricité de France, or EDF.

If finalized, the deal will mark Korea's first overseas nuclear power plant project since its 20 trillion won deal to build four nuclear reactors in Barakah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2009.

Yoon's letter to the prime minister is said to convey his personal thanks to the Czech Republic for selecting Korea and his views on future cooperation plans between the two countries.

The envoys are also expected to be joined by KHNP executives in some of their meetings with Czech officials.

The dispatch of the envoys reflects the presidential office's intention to "directly take care of the necessary follow-up measures" regarding the Czech nuclear deal, a presidential official said.

Earlier this month, Yoon held a bilateral meeting with Czech President Petr Pavel on the margins of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Summit (NATO) summit in Washington.

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with Czech President Petr Pavel during bilateral talks in Washington on July 10 on the margins of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

Later Tuesday, Yoon had a phone conversation with Czech Prime Minister Fiala and discussed practical cooperation in nuclear energy as a means to strengthen bilateral strategic partnership.

Yoon stressed that the project will be an opportunity to dramatically increase the nuclear power plant business capabilities of both countries, the presidential office said.

He proposed for the two countries to "join hands to advance into the global market in the era of the nuclear power renaissance," the office added.

Yoon agreed to visit Prague in September at the request of Fiala to discuss the implementation of the nuclear power plant project.

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala in a phone conversation at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul on Tuesday. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

Fiala offered his congratulations to Yoon over KHNP's successful bid and said that project will be an important turning point for the strengthening of energy security and industrial competitiveness in the Czech Republic, the office said.

The two sides agreed to use this as an opportunity to expand cooperation across trade, investment and high-tech industries, further deepening their bilateral strategic partnership.

UPDATE July 23: President Yoon's phone conversation with Czech prime minister added.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]