Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan expects to see visible progress within the first half of next year on investment projects outlined in the recent trade agreement between South Korea and the United States.

Speaking on a KBS program Sunday, Kim said bilateral negotiations on specific projects are currently underway, that he expects visible results to emerge in the first half of next year and that the U.S. is taking a more proactive approach than South Korea is 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 industry effort, would not align with public sentiment.

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