Opposition: "Is the suspicion of dumping Czech nuclear power a 'fake news'? ... Data must be submitted first to determine if it's a 'bitter-sweet apple'"

Kim Jeong-ho, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, on the 20th rebutted the presidential office and the ruling party's backlash against the opposition's concerns about potential losses in the export of Czech nuclear power plants, saying, "If you are going to dismiss it as 'fake news,' shouldn't you provide specific evidence about which part is fake?"

In a statement on the same day, Rep. Kim said, "The suspicion that the Czech nuclear power plant export is dumping has arisen both domestically and internationally since Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) was designated as the preferred negotiator," adding, "An investment institution in the Czech Republic described the construction cost proposed by KHNP as 'completely unrealistic' and even predicted that 'construction costs will increase threefold.'" He also pointed out that the government only claims 'proven technology' without providing grounds for refusing the opposition's request for data related to this matter.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He also raised doubts about President Yoon Suk-yeol's remark in the Czech Republic that "the intellectual property rights issue of the Czech nuclear power plant will be resolved well, like the UAE Barakah nuclear power plant." He said, "This means paying royalties or placing orders for key equipment to Westinghouse to smooth things over," adding, "In a situation where economic feasibility is already being questioned, giving core benefits to the U.S. raises the question of whether this can truly be called an independent nuclear power plant export and a profitable export."

Rep. Kim warned, "If this issue is not resolved, Yoon Suk-yeol's style of 'Korean-type independent nuclear power plant export' will remain a 'glittering but hollow fruit,'" and "It will inevitably be controlled by the U.S. every time, and under the pretext of maintaining the domestic nuclear power ecosystem, it will forcibly proceed with 'unprofitable dumping exports,' shifting the burden to Korean public enterprises such as KEPCO and KHNP." He expressed concern, saying, "KEPCO, which won the contract for the UAE Barakah nuclear power plant, recorded 202 trillion won in debt and 43 trillion won in operating losses as of the end of 2023," and "The reckless overseas investments made under the Lee Myung-bak administration in the name of overseas resource development, which squandered 35 trillion won of taxpayers' money by Korea National Oil Corporation and Korea Gas Corporation, are haunting KHNP."

Regarding the presidential office and ruling party's criticism, he said, "Before dismissing it as 'nonsense sophistry,' the order should be to transparently disclose related information first," adding, "They should reveal how much the actual construction cost of the Czech nuclear power plant was proposed, what the expected rate of return is, and whether there were any side contract conditions like those in the UAE Barakah nuclear power plant." Concerning the intellectual property rights issue with the U.S. Westinghouse, with whom there is disagreement, he said, "Isn't it right to disclose what conditions they are demanding, including the technology usage fees and equipment procurement amounts they require?" and urged, "Do not cowardly hide behind the guise of 'trade secrets' and the shadow of 'nuclear security.'"

Rep. Kim stated, "If you are going to dismiss it as 'fake news,' the presidential office and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy should at least present specific evidence supporting the claim that it is fake news," and added, "We should judge whether the nuclear power plant export is reasonable and beneficial, or if it is just an exaggerated publicity stunt for the administration's achievements."