Seoul: South Korea's trade watchdog said Thursday it held separate public hearings on suspected damage to local companies in two ongoing anti-dumping cases involving Chinese and Japanese firms.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the hearings hosted by the Korea Trade Commission (KTC) follow preliminary decisions to impose anti-dumping duties of up to 33.57 percent on hot-rolled alloy and steel plates imported from China and Japan, and a 43.35 percent tariff on Chinese optical fibers. Both of the duties are effective until January.

An investigation was launched after a local steelmaker, Hyundai Steel Co., filed a complaint in December against six Japanese firms and five Chinese producers of hot-rolled alloy and steel plates for alleged dumping. The other investigation, launched in March, came after LS Cable and System Ltd., South Korea's largest cable manufacturer, filed a complaint in early January, alleging that three Chinese companies sold single-mode optical fiber products at below fair market value.

The KCT is scheduled to make final decisions on anti-dumping measures in the two cases in December. Meanwhile, the commission said it has received a complaint from chemical giant LG Chem Ltd., accusing three Chinese butyl acrylate producers of dumping.