Eleven members of the nation's special parliamentary committee on a free trade agreement with the U.S. left Monday for Mexico and Canada, which joined the U.S. in launching the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to form the world’s largest free trade zone.

During a five-day stay, they will examine economic changes in the two countries since NAFTA. The Korean lawmakers will be divided into two teams: one will visit Canada and the other will head for Mexico.

The delegation will focus on Mexico, in particular, since both local anti- and pro-FTA camps base their arguments on the Mexican case. Korean delegates will meet with Mexican government officials, civic activists and academics to identify impacts of the free trade agreement on the country.

Meanwhile, spokesmen for the ruling Uri Party and opposition Grand National Party said that their floor leaders Kim Han-kil and Kim Hyung-oh agreed to raise the number of members on the special parliamentary FTA committee from the current 20 to 30.

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