Premier: We'll Discuss Construction of New Nuclear Unit in South Korea

Bratislava, September 27 (TASR) - Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) and Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) are set to go on a working trip to South Korea to discuss the construction of a new nuclear unit at Jaslovske Bohunice (Trnava region), TASR learnt from the premier himself at a press conference on Friday. "A decision has been made that as far as the construction of a completely new nuclear source is concerned, which, as I've already mentioned, is to have a capacity of between 1,100-1,200 megawatts, we're starting to communicate with the countries that are coming into consideration. South Korea is a country with which we have smooth political relations, it is a country that is a major investor in Slovakia," said the prime minister, adding that the aim is to sign a memorandum of cooperation with the Korean side in the fields of energy, new technologies, development and modernisation. According to the premier, it would be good if this working trip led to South Korea possibly being one of Slovakia's potential partners in the construction of a new nuclear reactor at Jaslovske Bohunice. "We'll certainly speak to the French, we'll also talk to the United States, we'll discuss a kind of diversification of the control systems and the reactors themselves, but we need to accelerate this process," stressed Fico. Economy Minister Sakova stated that consumption of electricity in Slovakia will be two to three times higher by 2050, and so the decision to build a new nuclear power plant is "absolutely justified" in her opinion. She also said that by the end of October, in cooperation with the Finance Ministry, documents will be prepared on the timetable and conditions for financing the construction of a new nuclear unit. The prime minister is set to leave for an official visit to South Korea on Saturday (September 28) evening. In the capital Seoul, he'll meet Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. am/df