By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter

The governing Grand National Party (GNP) and the largest opposition Democratic Party (DP) rescheduled a hearing on the resumption of American beef imports to Aug. 18-19.

The hearing was originally scheduled to take place on Aug 4 and 7, but lawmakers of the two parties agreed Wednesday to put it off after failing to reach an agreement on procedural matters regarding the hearing.

Despite the rescheduling, chances for a further delay are still high as DP lawmakers insist that the hearing, which will take place during the Beijing Olympic Games, be televised nationwide.

``If television networks are so busy that they will be unable to televise the hearing live, we are going to sit down with GNP leaders to discuss the delay once again after the Olympics,'' said Rep. Cho Jeong-sik of the DP.

GNP spokesman Yoon Sang-hyun, however, said his party would not discuss the matter again with the opposition party.

hkang@koreatimes.co.kr