Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

Minister JK (Jung-Kwan) Kim of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) announced that the ministry would activate an emergency management system, led by both the minister and vice minister, to prevent disruptions to the Czech nuclear power project. The move comes in response to the termination of negotiations on the construction contract on October 29, 2026. The ministry will promptly draw up an action plan to keep the Dukovany project on track and develop measures to prevent similar situations from recurring. These steps aim to preserve confidence in the Korean nuclear industry’s ability to deliver “On Time, On Budget,” a core competitive strength.

The emergency management system will focus on ensuring that all members of Team Korea participating in the Czech nuclear power project share updates on progress and key issues, and that the government and participating companies work closely to formulate solutions. To this end, the ministry plans to hold the two meetings on alternating weeks—the “Team Korea Review Meeting on the Czech Nuclear Power Project,” chaired by the minister, and the “Review Meeting on the Implementation Plans of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP),” chaired by the vice minister—to promptly review and carry out necessary measures.

Vice Minister Park Dong-il will chair the first meeting on November 2. The meeting will focus on reviewing KHNP’s follow-up measures after the termination of negotiations on the construction contract. Participants will discuss ways to carry out key tasks following the termination of the existing construction contract negotiations; the procedure and expected timeline for selecting a new construction contractor; plans to meet key milestones on time; and plans to implement follow-up measures related to the construction contract. MOTIR will also develop detailed plans and measures to ensure key project milestones are met on schedule, including applying for a construction permit in April 2027, starting site grading in January 2029, and beginning construction in November 2029.

Minister Kim emphasized, “Korea’s nuclear industry draws its competitive strength from the ‘team spirit’ that unites the capabilities of individual companies. We must build a stronger Team Korea to prepare for the many nuclear export opportunities ahead.” He added, “To this end, the vice minister and I will directly oversee the emergency management system for the time being to review project issues weekly and take the necessary action.”