The South Korean government will hold a second public hearing Friday on renegotiating a possible amendment to its free trade agreement with the United States.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced Thursday the hearing will be held at Coex in southern Seoul, and is intended to garner additional public opinions on the issue. The first hearing held early last month broke down quickly due to strong opposition from agricultural groups.

During the second hearing, the government plans to unveil its analysis regarding potential impacts of a renegotiation on the local farming industry.

It will first begin with presentations on the related issues by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade and the Korea Rural Economic Institute, to be followed by a panel discussion and a Q&A session.  

Some major interests groups representing the local farming and livestock industries and Lawyers for a Democratic Society will participate in the panel.

The government has emphasized it will try to actively reflect farmers’ voices in the renegotiating process.