Czech nuclear deal will go ahead despite controversy, South Korean President says

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has expressed confidence in moving forward with a multibillion-dollar project to build a nuclear plant in the Czech Republic, despite legal challenges from EDF and Westinghouse. In an interview with Reuters, President Yoon reassured that there is no need for concern over the project.

In July, the Czech Government selected Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) to build two reactors, marking South Korea’s first major overseas nuclear order since 2009. KHNP was chosen over EDF due to its significantly lower bid. However, Westinghouse filed an appeal in August, arguing that KHNP lacked the rights to sublicense the nuclear technology it had offered, which Westinghouse claims is based on its proprietary technology.

President Yoon stated that South Korea and the US are working to resolve the intellectual property concerns raised by Westinghouse in an “amicable atmosphere.” His visit to the Czech Republic from 19 to 22 September aims to ensure the smooth conclusion of the final contract for the project, which he described as critically important.

The Czech Republic currently operates six nuclear reactors with a combined capacity of 4.2 GW.