Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan expects to see visible progress within the first half of next year in relation to the country’s investment projects in the United States under their trade agreement. 

Speaking on a KBS program Sunday, Kim said bilateral negotiations on specific projects are currently underway and he expects visible results to emerge in the first half of next year, adding that the U.S. is taking a much more proactive approach in some areas.

On industrial restructuring, the minister stressed that the petrochemical and steel industries must be protected, and that both short-term financial support and long-term investment in research and development are necessary. 

But he warned that relying solely on government aid, without effort on the part of the industries themselves, would not align with public sentiment.

To bring about a transformation in manufacturing driven by artificial intelligence, Kim stressed that South Korea must leverage its existing manufacturing data, production capabilities and AI technology to improve productivity and modernize the industrial ecosystem, warning that failing to do so would result in lost opportunities.