Industry ministry launches weekly emergency control system for Czech nuclear project

South Korea's industry ministry said it has launched an emergency management system for the Czech nuclear project, bringing in weekly meetings chaired by the minister and vice minister after construction contract negotiations ended on Oct. 29.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said the system is meant to keep the Dukovany project on schedule and to prevent a repeat of the breakdown in talks, which it said must not shake confidence in the "On Time, On Budget" delivery that underpins Korea's nuclear competitiveness. The first meeting was held at 10 a.m. Monday, chaired by Vice Minister Park Dong-il, to review follow-up measures after Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's construction contract negotiations ended.

Agenda items included how to carry out key tasks left by the closed talks, the procedure and timetable for choosing a new construction contractor, plans to meet major milestones on schedule, and how follow-up obligations on the construction contract will be honored. The ministry said it would also draw up detailed plans to keep the project on track for a construction permit application in April 2027, site preparation work in January 2029 and the start of construction in November 2029.

Under the arrangement, the minister will chair a weekly meeting reviewing progress on the Czech project across Team Korea, the group of state and private companies involved, while the vice minister will chair a separate meeting on Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's implementation plans. The two sessions will alternate weekly so that the whole team shares the project's status and main issues, and so that government and participating companies can work out solutions together.

"The competitiveness of Korean nuclear power lies in the 'Team Spirit' that comes from combining the capabilities of individual companies, and we must build an even tighter Team Korea to prepare for the many nuclear export opportunities ahead," Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Kim Jung-kwan said. "To that end, the minister and vice minister will personally run the emergency management system for the time being, checking project issues every week and taking the necessary measures."