A U.S. senator has urged U.S. President Barack Obama to push for the ratification of the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement.

Senator Chuck Grassley, who is a ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, said Thursday that expanding global trade can spur employment rates and strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. industries.

The Iowa Republican noted that before adopting a free trade pact with Chile, Morocco and Bahrain, the U.S. had posted trade deficits with the three countries. He said that after signing the trade deals with the three nations, the deficits shifted to surpluses.

He stressed, in particular, the positive effect the trade deal with South Korea would have on U.S. efforts to create jobs.

Grassley warned that a delayed ratification of the trade accord would incur costs and would seriously undermine the competitiveness of U.S. producers and workers.