NEW YORK -- President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday met Petr Pavel, president of the Czech Republic, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
According to a press release by the presidential office, Lee acknowledged the Czech Republic's support for activities of South Korean business in the central European country, expressing hopes for the two countries to cooperate further in the field of not only nuclear energy but also semiconductors, electric cars and defense industry.
Pavel also expressed his willingness to visit South Korea at a convenient time, which Lee welcomed, according to the presidential office.
The meeting comes three months after the Czech Republic's government and South Korea's state-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power signed the deal in June to build two nuclear reactors in Dukovany, Czech Republic.
Lee, who was inaugurated in June, earlier held phone talks with the Czech Republic's Prime Minister Petr Fiala. The two leaders then hailed the nuclear power deal as a "touchstone" for broader bilateral economic exchanges, according to the presidential office.
On Tuesday, Pavel said the Czech Republic signed the contract with the South Korean firms led by KHNP because of their technological prowess.
Also during the meeting, when Lee asked if Pavel was aware of Prague's popularity among South Koreans as a tourist destination, Pavel said he could sense it as he often encountered South Korean tourists on his way to the office.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties and 10th anniversary of establishing a strategic partnership between the two countries.
consnow@heraldcorp.com
