Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon said Monday that he’ll decide within the first half of the year whether or not to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership(CPTPP). 

Chairing a meeting of economy-related ministers in Seoul, Kim said that he will seek to produce an agreement among related agencies on joining the Japan-led CPTPP, adding that he will launch related domestic procedures promptly if deemed necessary.

Kim said he will closely observe the ratification procedures under way in countries that signed the accord before making a decision on the matter in a timely manner.

Eleven countries --Japan, Australia, Mexico, Canada, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei—signed the agreement last Thursday. 

Meanwhile, Kim also vowed to mobilize all channels possible to actively respond to the U.S.' move to slap heavy tariffs on steel imports. 

The minister said he has sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and will hold discussions with him on key bilateral trade issues on the sidelines of a finance ministers’ meeting of G20 countries in Argentina next week.

Kim vowed best efforts to keep the economy steadfast despite external trade friction and unveiled plans to actively make inroads into markets in the Middle East and Latin America.