# Korea Nuclear Association mobilizes 70 suppliers for export
*The coalition targets Western reactor supply chains after Doosan Enerbility secured 5.6 trillion won in main equipment orders for two 1,000-megawatt APR1000 reactors in the Czech Republic.*
**Published:** October 21, 2026
**By:** Ji-woo Han
**Section:** Semiconductors & AI Hardware — South Korea
**Format:** Policy Tracker
**Confidence:** high
**Source:** https://eastasiabrief.com/semiconductors/korea-nuclear-association-mobilizes-70-suppliers-export-844
**Publisher:** East Asia Brief (https://eastasiabrief.com/)
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## What to know
- Korea Nuclear Association mobilized 70 suppliers on Oct. 21, 2026 for Western reactor bids
- Doosan Enerbility booked 5.6 trillion won ($4.1 billion) in primary equipment for Czech Dukovany
- NES 2026 B2B matchmaking runs Oct. 27-28 in Gyeongju across 55 foreign procurement leads
*A technician inspects a precision valve component with a magnifying glass inside a manufacturing facility. (AI-generated image)*
The Korea Nuclear Association finalized plans Oct. 21, 2026 to assemble 70 domestic component manufacturers in Gyeongju to bid into expanding Western reactor supply chains.
The initiative connects South Korean precision valve, pump and piping producers directly with 55 foreign procurement buyers, the association said.
Foreign utilities are seeking non-Russian equipment alternatives following sanctions against Rosatom, according to event organizers in Gyeongju.
The procurement push builds on South Korea's $18 billion project framework for two 1,000-megawatt reactors at the Dukovany plant in the Czech Republic.
Doosan Enerbility anchors the domestic manufacturing base with a 5.6 trillion won ($4.1 billion) equipment contract with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, corporate disclosures showed.
That contract allocates 4.93 trillion won to nuclear steam supply systems and 710 billion won to turbines and generators, Doosan Enerbility said.
The manufacturer's Czech subsidiary, Doosan Skoda Power, booked a separate 320 billion won ($234 million) order to manufacture two steam turbines in Plzen.
Czech utility CEZ plans to commercialize Dukovany Unit 5 by 2036, according to official project schedules released in Prague.
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power leads the construction consortium as the primary engineering, procurement and construction contractor, the state-run utility said.
Daewoo E&C will manage structural construction under the consortium framework, while Kepco E&C directs engineering and plant design, company filings showed.
Kepco KPS will oversee ongoing maintenance, and Kepco Nuclear Fuel will supply the initial core loading, the utility consortium said.
Central European utilities are replacing Russian VVER reactor components to insulate their electricity grids from supply interruptions, trade ministry officials said.
South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy met virtually with Czech counterparts Oct. 20, 2026 to review project schedules, the ministry said.
Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan requested that the European Union avoid trade rules that disadvantage certified non-European reactor suppliers, according to the ministry.
Korean manufacturers have supplied components for 36 commercial reactors across four decades, including four operating APR1400 units at the Barakah plant in the United Arab Emirates.
The United States and France are also adding nuclear capacity, creating component shortages across heavy forgings and reactor coolant pumps, industry analysts said.
Buyers from seven nations, including the United States, France and Canada, will hold direct procurement sessions in Gyeongju, the event organizer said.
The sessions will review technical qualification standards required to supply civil nuclear projects in North America and Western Europe, the organizer said.
Small and medium manufacturers in South Korea hold American Society of Mechanical Engineers certifications for pressure vessels and piping, the association said.
Chinese state suppliers remain barred from Western nuclear tenders due to national security restrictions, leaving South Korean vendors with expanded export opportunities.
Doosan Enerbility is scheduled to begin component fabrication for the Dukovany reactors in November 2027, according to regulatory filings in Seoul.
Deliveries of the reactor pressure vessels and steam generators will run sequentially through 2032, Doosan Enerbility said.
The Dukovany steering committee plans to convene its fourth bilateral meeting in South Korea before the end of the year, trade officials said.
Samsung C&T and Hyundai E&C are also pursuing balance-of-plant contracts across European and Middle Eastern nuclear tenders, industry executives said.
The Gyeongju gathering aims to transition domestic suppliers from sub-tier contractors into direct exporters to foreign reactor operators, the association said.
Export-Import Bank of Korea and Korea Trade Insurance Corporation are structuring trade finance lines for participating equipment vendors, financial regulators said.
The NES 2026 conference opens Oct. 27, 2026 at the Gyeongju Hwabaek International Convention Center, running two days of trade talks through Oct. 28.
The association has not published individual contract value targets for the 70 suppliers, and the trade ministry did not disclose the full roster of foreign buyers.
## Impact map
| Event | Korea | China | Japan | Global impact |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Korea nuclear component export push | Doosan Enerbility and 70 parts makers target Western reactor bids with 5.6 trillion won Czech backlog | CGN and CNNC remain shut out of European procurement due to security screening | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries faces tighter competition for third-country reactor equipment | Western utilities gain non-Russian sourcing options for 1,000 MW reactor components |
## In this story
- **Companies:** Doosan Enerbility, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power
- **Tickers:** 034020.KS
- **Exposed:** Daewoo E&C, Samsung C&T, KEPCO
- **Policy:** Procurement Rules
- **Impact:** Supply Chain, Order Book
## Primary sources
1. hico.or.kr
2. showala.com
3. epj.co.kr
4. energydaily.co.kr
5. asianews.network
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Cite as: East Asia Brief, "Korea Nuclear Association mobilizes 70 suppliers for export," October 21, 2026. https://eastasiabrief.com/semiconductors/korea-nuclear-association-mobilizes-70-suppliers-export-844