US DOC issues preliminary results of reviews of AD, CVD orders against corrosion-resistant carbon flats from Korea

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has announced the preliminary results of its administrative reviews of the antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders against corrosion-resistant carbon steel flat products from Korea.

The review of the AD order covers seven producers/exporters -- Dongbu Steel Co. Ltd.; Haewon MSC Co. Ltd,; Hyundai HYSCO; LG Chem Ltd.; Union Steel Manufacturing Co. Ltd.; and Pohang Iron & Steel Company Ltd. and its affiliate Pohang Coated Steel Co. Ltd. (collectively POSCO) -- during the period from August 1, 2007 through July 31, 2008.

The DOC has calculated the following preliminary weighted-average dumping margins: (a) Hyundai HYSCO -- 0.43 percent; (b) POSCO -- 0.16 percent; and (c) Union Steel -- 3.94 percent. The margins for Hyundai HYSCO and POSCO are de minimis, and the margin for Union will be applied to Dongbu Steel, Haewon MSC, and LG Chem.

These preliminary margins compare with the following current dumping duty deposit rates: (a) Dongbu -- 1.90 percent; (b) Haewon -- 0.00 percent; (c) Hyundai HYSCO -- 1.52 percent; (d) LG Chem -- 5.01 percent; (e) Union -- 7.56 percent; and (f) POSCO -- 0.53 percent.

The DOC plans to complete this review by January 2010, and the current dumping duty deposit rates will remain in effect until the DOC's final results are published in the Federal Register.

The review of the CVD order covers three producers/exporters -- Dongbu Steel Co. Ltd.; Hyundai HYSCO Ltd.; and Pohang Iron & Steel Company Ltd. and its affiliates POSCO Steel Service & Sales Co., Ltd., and Pohang Steel Co., Ltd. (collectively POSCO) -- during the period of calendar year 2007.

The DOC has preliminarily calculated the following weighted-average subsidy margins: (a) Dongbu -- 0.21 percent; (b) Hyundai HYSCO -- 0.04 percent; and (c) POSCO -- 0.01 percent. All of these margins are de minimis.

The current countervailing duty deposit rates are zero (0.00) percent for Dongbu and POSCO and 2.69 percent for Hyundai HYSCO.

The DOC also plans to complete this review by January 2010, and the current countervailing duty deposit rates will remain in effect until the DOC's final results are published in the Federal Register.