Industry Minister nominee Ahn Duk-geun said Monday he will focus on securing key industrial materials to safeguard local industries from global supply chain disruptions.

"I will promptly stabilize issues surrounding the supply chain and further solidify the latest signs of export recovery," Ahn told reporters, a day after President Yoon Suk Yeol announced his nomination.

"I will also bolster energy security, the most critical pillar of fostering cutting-edge industries, and enhance our industries' adaptability to carbon neutrality," Ahn said.

The nominee had been serving as the first trade minister under the Yoon administration, dealing with key issues, including the US Inflation Reduction Act.

"As trade policies address the most sophisticated and controversial aspects of industrial and energy policies, I believe I am well-prepared to smoothly implement policies that align harmoniously across the industry, trade, and resources sectors," he said. (Yonhap)