President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, waves ahead of his departure for the Czech Republic from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Sept. 19. Yonhap

President Yoon Suk Yeol left for the Czech Republic on Thursday for a trip focused on ensuring Korea's bid to win a major nuclear energy project and deepen economic ties with the European nation.

During his four-day visit, Yoon will hold talks with Czech President Petr Pavel and Prime Minister Petr Fiala to expand cooperation in nuclear energy, trade, investment, technology and other areas.

It comes two months after a consortium led by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) was selected as a preferred bidder to build two nuclear power units at the Dukovany site.

Yoon's trip aims to reaffirm Seoul's commitment to the successful implementation of the Czech nuclear project and lay the groundwork for forging a "nuclear energy alliance" between the two nations, according to his office.

The trip comes at a time when the project faces a legal challenge as U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric filed an appeal with Czech authorities last month, arguing that KHNP's reactor designs are based on its technology.

During an interview with Reuters, Yoon said his trip is aimed at ensuring the seamless conclusion of the final contract, adding Seoul and Washington were working to create an "amicable atmosphere" among businesses in the nuclear energy sector to resolve differences over intellectual property rights.

The deal, estimated at around 24 trillion won ($18.03 billion), will mark Korea's second nuclear power plant export, following its 2009 project in the United Arab Emirates. It is expected to be finalized by the first quarter of next year.

Accompanied by a delegation of business leaders from Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, SK Group and LG Group, as well as 50 other companies, Yoon will also visit the industrial city of Plzen to inspect nuclear energy companies and attend a business forum. (Yonhap)