Yoon Dispatches Sung Tae-yoon, Chief of Policy Office, and Ahn Deok-geun, Minister of Industry, as Special Envoys for Czech Nuclear Power Plant (Comprehensive)

"Focused Discussion on Follow-up Measures Including Establishment of Intergovernmental Hotline"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the Cabinet meeting held on the 16th at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol will dispatch two special envoys, Sung Tae-yoon, Chief of Policy Office at the Presidential Office, and Ahn Deok-geun, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, on the 23rd to follow up on the Czech nuclear power plant contract.

Jung Hye-jeon, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, held a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office that morning and stated, "President Yoon will send a special envoy delegation composed of Chief Sung and Minister Ahn to the Czech Republic today," adding, "They plan to focus on discussing follow-up measures such as establishing a government hotline."

Including the two special envoys, five people including Hwang Ju-ho, President of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, and other working-level officials will depart that day for a 3-day, 2-night visit to the Czech Republic to meet with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Minister of Industry and Trade Josef S?kela. They also plan to deliver a letter of appreciation from President Yoon regarding the selection of the preferred bidder for the Czech nuclear power plant project.

The head of the special envoy delegation will be Chief of Policy Office Sung Tae-yoon. A Presidential Office official explained, "Chief Sung will deliver a letter containing President Yoon’s gratitude and determination," adding, "As the highest-ranking official responsible for nuclear power affairs within the Presidential Office, the Chief of Policy Office’s role signifies the Presidential Office’s commitment to directly oversee necessary follow-up measures."

Sung Tae-yoon, Chief of Policy Office at the Presidential Office, is briefing on the selection of the preferred bidder for the new nuclear power plant construction project in the Czech Republic on the afternoon of the 17th at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

After deciding to dispatch the Czech special envoy delegation, President Yoon urged them to do their best not only for follow-up measures but also for the final contract signing, and instructed related ministries to make every effort to strengthen the nuclear power ecosystem. In particular, through the envoy dispatch, he is known to have ordered full efforts to convey gratitude for the selection of the preferred bidder and to enhance bilateral cooperation for follow-up measures such as establishing a hotline.

At the senior secretaries’ meeting the previous day, President Yoon instructed related ministries to strengthen the nuclear power ecosystem and consider dispatching a special envoy to the Czech Republic regarding the Czech nuclear power project.

Earlier, at the 27th 'Public Discussion on Livelihood with the People' held on the 18th in Jeongeup, Jeonbuk, President Yoon emphasized regarding the Czech level, "This is a great achievement 15 years after winning the Barakah nuclear power plant contract, and the amount is incomparably larger than back then," adding, "Above all, it is very meaningful that our chances of exporting nuclear power plants to Europe have increased." He continued, "The nuclear power industry was on the brink of collapse overall, but by overcoming the anti-nuclear policy and restoring the nuclear power industry in line with global trends, our entire industry and region will benefit greatly."

President Yoon said, "The global nuclear power market is estimated by the U.S. Department of Commerce to be worth 1,000 trillion won," adding, "We will continue to establish a foothold in the international nuclear power market so that many citizens can have good jobs here and our economy can develop as a starting point."

Earlier, on the 17th (local time), the Czech government officially announced at a cabinet meeting that Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power had been selected as the preferred bidder for the country’s new nuclear power plant construction project, estimated at around 24 trillion won.