Industry Minister nominee Kim Jung-kwan vowed on Thursday to make every effort to expand exports and investment, calling them the pillars of the South Korean economy, while also developing practical trade policies amid increasing U.S. tariffs.

During his confirmation hearing Thursday, Kim said in his opening statement that free trade and international norms, which have driven the country’s exports, are no longer functioning normally due to U.S. tariff measures and the spread of protectionism.

He called the tariffs “the biggest pending issue” for the ministry, explaining that the plan is to implement “practical trade policies” on the premise of maximizing the nation’s interests.

The nominee also emphasized the need to expand the nation’s global cooperation network through trade agreements and participation in international forums such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

In preparation for the era of one trillion U.S. dollars in exports, Kim said the administration will work to innovate the country’s trade structure, open up new export markets and improve the export infrastructure, including finance and marketing.

He stressed that efforts would be made to support sustainable growth and increase industrial productivity by incorporating artificial intelligence(AI) into companies of all sizes and reorganizing research and development for future innovation, including the development of AI semiconductors, humanoids and other next-generation technologies.

Kim also expressed his intent to expand renewable energy and promote nuclear power plants, and he promised to establish an energy pricing system that benefits the people economically and reinforces industrial competitiveness amid concerns over summertime power supply and demand.