President Yoon's Visit to Czech Republic from 19th to 22nd: "Building a Nuclear Alliance"

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President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee are seen boarding Air Force One at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province on June 10, as they depart to visit three Central Asian countries: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol will make an official visit to the Czech Republic from the 19th to the 22nd for a 2-night, 4-day trip, the Presidential Office announced on the 12th. During this visit, President Yoon plans to promote the establishment of a Korea-Czech "nuclear power alliance" and expand cooperation between the two countries comprehensively in areas such as economy, science and technology, and education.

Kim Tae-hyo, the First Deputy Director of the National Security Office, held a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office that afternoon and said, "Through this official visit to the Czech Republic, President Yoon will convey Team Korea's firm commitment to successfully completing the nuclear power project to the Czech side." This visit marks the first time in about nine years that a Korean president has visited the Czech Republic since President Park Geun-hye's visit in December 2015.

Deputy Director Kim described the visit as "an opportunity to elevate bilateral cooperation ahead of the 35th anniversary of Korea-Czech diplomatic relations next year and the 10th anniversary of establishing a 'strategic partnership,'" adding, "As Korea's first top salesperson, President Yoon will actively engage in sales diplomacy to ensure that our companies secure the nuclear power project contract."

President Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon-hee will depart from Seoul on the 19th, immediately after the Chuseok holiday, and arrive in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, that same afternoon. On the first day of the visit, they will hold a one-on-one and expanded meeting with Czech President Petr Pavel to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations, followed by a joint press conference. They will also attend an official welcoming ceremony and dinner hosted by President Pavel on the same day.

The next morning, President Yoon and President Pavel will attend the Korea-Czech Business Forum, then visit Pilsen, about 90 km from Prague, with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala to inspect nuclear power-related companies. Afterwards, President Yoon will return to Prague for a small-scale meeting and working lunch with Prime Minister Fiala.

President Yoon and Prime Minister Fiala will attend a signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to institutionalize cooperation between the two countries in various fields including nuclear power cooperation, trade, investment, advanced technology, and supply chains. Additionally, President Yoon will hold separate meetings with the speakers of the Czech National Council and Chamber of Deputies, requesting parliamentary interest and cooperation to deepen bilateral relations, and will host a dinner meeting with the Korean community that evening.

In the Czech Republic, the head of state, the president, holds representative authority in diplomacy and defense, while the head of government, the prime minister, mainly handles the formulation and implementation of economic and social policies. Accordingly, President Yoon plans to focus on diplomatic and security issues in talks with the president and economic cooperation issues in talks with the prime minister.

Deputy Director Kim said, "We expect that Korea-Czech nuclear power alliance can be established through President Yoon's official visit to the Czech Republic," adding, "Furthermore, Korea and the United States will be able to build a global nuclear power alliance partnership in the global nuclear power market going forward."

He continued, "President Yoon will discuss ways to develop the Korea-Czech strategic partnership into a comprehensive cooperation relationship encompassing not only nuclear power but also economy, science and technology, education, and human exchanges."

Kim Tae-hyo, the First Deputy Director of the National Security Office, is briefing on President Yoon Seok-yeol's visit to the Czech Republic at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 12th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Park Chun-seop, Senior Secretary for Economic Affairs, explained the economic significance of this visit, saying, "A large delegation from the nuclear power sector, including Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, academia, and research institutes, will accompany the visit to explore cooperation plans covering the entire nuclear power ecosystem, from construction to design, operation, nuclear fuel, and radioactive waste management."

He added, "Based on the automobile industry, where our companies have a strong presence, we plan to deepen cooperation between the two countries in advanced industries such as future vehicles, batteries, hydrogen, and advanced robotics by signing numerous cooperation memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and strengthening government-business collaboration." The visit will include the heads of the four major conglomerates?Samsung, Hyundai Motor, SK, and LG?as well as 50 to 60 companies ranging from large corporations to medium-sized and small enterprises.

Senior Secretary Park emphasized, "Trade with the Czech Republic has recorded record highs for four consecutive years recently," adding, "To sustain continuous growth in bilateral trade, it is necessary to strengthen partnerships across the entire economic and industrial sectors. We plan to establish an institutional foundation by signing a Trade and Investment Promotion Framework (TIPF) during this visit."

Park Sang-wook, Senior Secretary for Science and Technology, stated that the nuclear power cooperation with the Czech Republic will serve as a catalyst to fully activate science and technology cooperation between the two countries.

Senior Secretary Park said, "We will resume the Korea-Czech Joint Committee on Science and Technology, which has not been held for some time, elevate the chief representative to the director-general level, and regularize the meetings to be held every two years," adding, "Through the Korea-Czech Joint Committee on Science and Technology to be held shortly after the visit, we will share key policies for cooperation and concretize joint research, personnel exchanges, and other cooperative projects between Korea and the Czech Republic."