President Lee Jae Myung has urged relevant ministries to closely monitor public concerns about Seoul’s latest trade agreement with Washington and take follow-up measures that protect the nation’s core interests.

Presiding over a meeting with his aides on Thursday, Lee called for long-term measures to expand domestic demand and diversify exports in order to overcome some of the domestic economy’s limitations.

The president commended the officials who took part in the trade negotiations, saying that significant uncertainties in the nation’s trade environment have been resolved.

Lee also predicted that the trade deal will strengthen economic cooperation between Seoul and Washington, as well as the alliance between the countries.

With drastic changes in the international trade order expected to continue at an accelerated pace, the president said, the nation will have to navigate these changes through flexible, pragmatic diplomacy centered on the national interest.