Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light, though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night.
Korea, Czech Republic tighten nuclear, robotics ties
Aerial view of Dukovany nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic / Yonhap
By Jhoo Dong-chan
Bolstered by one of the largest energy infrastructure initiatives in Central Europe, Korea and the Czech Republic moved this week to expand their partnership from nuclear engineering into the frontier sectors of robotics, electric vehicle batteries and future mobility.
The diplomatic push was cemented during a series of high-level bilateral meetings in Prague, where Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources Kim Jung-kwan met with Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlicek Wednesday and Thursday. The sessions served to solidify both nations' commitments to the multibillion-dollar Dukovany nuclear power plant construction project.
During the second assembly of the Dukovany Steering Committee — a specialized regulatory body established in February — officials confirmed that Team Korea, the corporate consortium tapped for the project, remains on track. The ministers reviewed critical licensing and regulatory documents that were submitted, and proactively addressed systemic logistical challenges, including labor shortages and the transport of heavy cargo. To ensure local economic buy-in, the delegations also mapped out strategies to increase the participation of Czech subcontractors.
The discussions also signaled that the geopolitical alignment between Seoul and Prague is rapidly extending beyond nuclear reactors.
At the third Supply Chain and Energy Dialogue, the ministers reviewed a broader trade blueprint known as the Vltava Vision for Advanced Industry Cooperation. Adopted in 2024, the framework aims to institutionalize joint research, academic exchange and real-world technology demonstrations in high-tech manufacturing.
The industrial pivot is already yielding concrete corporate and academic footholds.
At a bilateral nuclear industry partnership event marking the project's first anniversary, Korea Electric Power Engineering & Construction signed a technical contract with Czech engineering firm EGP Praha to collaborate on design and licensing support services.
Meanwhile, on the academic front, the trade minister visited the Czech Technical University in Prague to inspect the site of a planned joint robotics cooperation center and an advanced robotics testbed.
“Given the Czech government's policy to extend nuclear plant operating lifetimes to as much as 80 years,” Kim said, “the Dukovany project will serve as a foundation for cooperation between future generations of our two countries.”
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.