REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK Prague's last-minute delay comes as little surprise

Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun, right, speaks during a press conference in Prague, Tuesday (local time), alongside Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power CEO Whang Joo-ho. Courtesy of Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

"I knew it" was this reporter's response to late Tuesday's push notification of the news that a Czech court had blocked Prague from signing a multibillion-dollar nuclear reactor construction deal with Seoul the following day.

This reaction did not stem from the frequently cited concerns about the deal, such as its profitability or uncertainty surrounding governmental negotiations after Seoul's leadership vacuum following the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol and the resignations of two acting presidents — former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and former Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok.

While the news embarrassed the Korean delegation to the Czech Republic — which includes two ministers, four vice ministers and five lawmakers from three parties — this reporter was reminded of an episode involving a senior Czech government official who canceled an appointment with Korean reporters at the last minute.

In the early morning on Feb. 18, when this reporter was en route to interview Czech Industry and Trade Minister Lukas Vlcek in Seoul, the Czech Embassy notified The Korea Times and its sister paper, the Hankook Ilbo, that the minister was unavailable for the meeting, citing his busy schedule.

Although Vlcek later sent written responses and the embassy apologized for the cancellation, both newspapers had to delay publication of the interview. Their reporters also had to rearrange their schedules.

Then-acting President Choi Sang-mok, right, talks with Czech Industry and Trade Minister Lukas Vlcek at Government Complex Seoul, Feb. 18. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seok

The Czech government's attitude toward foreign media may have hinted at its broader approach to diplomatic matters.

According to the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Prague had invited the Korean delegation despite knowing that France's EDF — a losing bidder in the tender — had filed for an injunction with a regional court in the Czech city of Brno on Friday to block Wednesday's signing ceremony.

"The Czech government clearly did not see this as a major obstacle and extended the invitation (for the official signing) based on that assessment," Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun told reporters in Prague, Tuesday (local time), shortly after arriving in the Czech capital. "It seems the court's view differs from that of the government."

Last month, the Czech antitrust agency dismissed EDF's separate complaints, rejecting its argument that Korea had offered an unreasonably low price.

While both Korea and the Czech Republic have ruled out the possibility of the 400 billion Czech koruna ($18 billion) deal collapsing, Ahn said it is impossible to predict whether the court's decision will come in a few days or take several months.

He also raised the possibility of further delays if the Czech opposition party wins the parliamentary election in October.

"As the company leading Team Korea, it's embarrassing and we're also sorry for this," Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power CEO Whang Joo-ho said at the press conference.

What is more frustrating is that Korea is virtually unable to complain to its "customer" over the debacle that wasted taxpayer money and the time of senior government officials.

Instead, Seoul has defended Prague against criticism from Koreans, some of whom are also worried that the requirement for 60 percent Czech industry involvement in the project may undermine the profitability of the now-impeached president's much-hyped reactor export initiative.

"Given the Czech Republic's well-structured legal system, EDF is trying to make full use of its legal rights," Ahn said. "As the Czech authorities are trying to ensure those legal rights, there are some delays that embarrass us."