Gov’t orders probe into KHNP’s nuclear deal with US Westinghouse

The presidential office Tuesday ordered an investigation into allegations that the state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) struck an unfair deal with U.S.-based nuclear technology firm Westinghouse to resolve a legal conflict that had stalled KHNP’s nuclear power project in the Czech Republic. Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik instructed the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to thoroughly examine the agreement between KHNP, the state-run utility Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) and Westinghouse, following concerns that the deal may have been unfavorable for Korea. “KHNP and KEPCO are public entities,” presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said during a briefing. “The presidential chief of staff has instructed an investigation into two matters: whether the deal with Westinghouse had a proper legal basis, and whether all the rules and procedures were followed in the signing process.” In January, KHNP and KEPCO reached an agreement with Westinghouse to resolve an intellectual property (IP) dispute over the APR1000 nuclear reactor technology, which KHNP has beWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times