The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy says it will submit a statement of opinion to the U.S. Department of Commerce on Friday to convey South Korea's stance on the U.S. government's investigation into imported automobiles. 

The ministry stressed in the statement that South Korea is a key ally of the United States and a safe and reliable trade partner. 

It also noted that Korea's automotive industry has invested over ten billion dollars in the U.S. to create 30-thousand jobs and is thereby contributing to the U.S. economy. 

It said the U.S. auto sector is in a healthy state and that commercial vehicles are unrelated to national security. 

Last month, the Department of Commerce launched a probe to determine whether imported cars and auto parts threaten national security as defined in Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act.