SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - Ivan Jančárek, the Ambassador of Czechia to South Korea, underscored the deepening strategic partnership between the two nations. As they celebrate 35 years of diplomatic ties and a decade of strategic partnership, he highlighted key areas for further collaboration.
"There is great potential for cooperation in trade, technology, and infrastructure," he said, pointing to the increasing opportunities for South Korean investment in Czechia’s expanding electric vehicle (EV) battery industry. With Czechia’s strong automotive sector, he noted, South Korean companies have a promising chance to play a larger role in this field.
In an interview at the Czech Embassy in Seoul on Mar. 6, Jančárek outlined Czechia's foreign policy priorities, which closely align with its commitments to the European Union (EU) and NATO.
"In Asia, we see the Republic of Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan as key partners with whom we want to strengthen ties," he said. He emphasized South Korea’s critical role in global security and technological advancement, making it a natural partner for deeper cooperation in defense, research, and trade.
Economic collaboration remains a cornerstone of bilateral relations. With annual trade exceeding five billion dollars, Jančárek stressed the potential for further investment, particularly in EV batteries and semiconductors.
"Czechia is one of the biggest car producers in Europe, yet we don’t have an EV battery factory. That presents a clear opportunity," he said, pointing to Czechia’s strong economic stability and investor-friendly environment as attractive factors for foreign businesses.
Infrastructure is another key area for collaboration, especially in high-speed rail. Czechia, with its extensive railway network, is looking to modernize and integrate high-speed rail technology, taking inspiration from South Korea’s advancements.
"We are looking at Korea for its technology," Jančárek said, highlighting South Korea’s expertise in tunnel drilling and railway operations. While France and Spain have traditionally dominated the European high-speed rail sector, he acknowledged that South Korean firms have proven their capabilities in the field.
Beyond infrastructure, Czechia is also expanding partnerships with South Korea in artificial intelligence (AI), nuclear energy, and innovation. Jančárek pointed to Horizon Europe, a major EU research initiative that South Korea participates in, as a platform for joint projects in renewable energy, hydrogen technology, and AI-driven solutions.
"We see nuclear engineering as one of the key growth industries for the future," he said, adding that Czechia is eager to work with South Korean companies on next-generation nuclear engineering and energy infrastructure.
Reflecting on Czechia’s political evolution, Jančárek recalled the country’s transition from a communist regime to a democracy after the Velvet Revolution in 1989.
"Until 1989, we were a socialist, communist country where everything was controlled—who you could be friends with, what you could say, where you could travel," he said. "Then the revolution came, and Václav Havel, a philosopher and writer rather than a politician, became president. He believed that society should not be about government control but about people shaping their own futures."
Jančárek stressed that cultural and business ties should grow organically rather than be dictated by government mandates. "If cooperation is forced, it never lasts. It must be built on natural connections between people," he said.
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