Trade Commission Recommends Up to 33.67% Anti-Dumping Duties on Low-Priced Chinese Coated Steel Sheets… Ruling Delivered After Expiration of Provisional Tariffs

SEOUL

The Trade Commission under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held its 478th meeting on the 23rd and made a final determination that Chinese galvanized cold-rolled steel products were dumped, inflicting material injury on the domestic industry. The commission resolved to recommend to the Minister of Economy and Finance that price undertakings from 10 Chinese exporters be implemented for the next five years, alongside the imposition of anti-dumping duties ranging from 22.34% to 33.67% by supplier. This comes about 11 months after three companies—Dongkuk CM, KG Steel, and SeAH CM—filed an application for an investigation on November 10 last year. At the same meeting, the commission recommended extending anti-dumping duties on Chinese offset printing plates for five years, and received a report on the initiation of an anti-dumping investigation into Chinese seamless steel pipes. This final determination came after the imposition period for provisional anti-dumping duties, which had been levied since June 12, expired on October 11.

Trade Commission Recommends Duties of 22.34% to 33.67% on Chinese Coated Steel by Supplier

According to an attached table in the press release, the final anti-dumping duty rates vary by supplier. The rate is 22.34% for Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Union Co., Ltd. and its affiliated companies, and 26.28% for Shougang Jingtang United Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. and its affiliates. The highest rate, 33.67%, was levied on Winstone Development Ltd. A rate of 25.75% applies to other suppliers. In the "other suppliers" category, Baoshan Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. and its affiliates Baosteel Zhanjiang, Wuhan Iron and Steel, Shanghai Meishan Iron & Steel, and Shandong Iron and Steel Group Rizhao were listed.

The suppliers subject to investigation were four entities: Baotou, Baoyang, Shougang, and Winstone. The April preliminary determination data identified Baoyang Tianjin Imp and Exp as a trading company and stated that the producer's dumping margin would be applied. Along with duties, the commission also accepted price undertakings. In the attached table, Baotou, Shougang, and Baoshan affiliates were marked as having their price undertakings "accepted," whereas Winstone was listed as not applicable. A separate list included seven additional companies: Shandong Shinmade Material Tech, Hebei Jingye High Quality Steel Technology, Dong E County Xinhua Environmental Protection Technology, Tianjin Xinyu Color Plate, Shandong Huafeng Plate Technology, Hebei Yanbo Color Coated Sheet, and Hebei Yanshan Iron And Steel Group. In the entry for Hebei Yanshan Iron And Steel Group, its affiliate Tangshan Yanyang Cold Rolling was listed together. The text of the press release stated that the price undertakings applied to "10 Chinese exporters."

The supplier-specific tariff rates of 22.34%, 26.28%, 33.67%, and 25.75% are identical to the provisional duty rates recommended in the April preliminary determination. The rates remained unchanged following the full investigation and a public hearing held in July.

Subject Products Widely Used from Roofing Materials to Automotive Parts

The products subject to investigation are cold-rolled steel products with a thickness of less than 4.75 mm surface-treated with zinc or zinc alloys. Products electro-galvanized or painted with zinc, as well as galvannealed products alloyed during the annealing process, are excluded. The Trade Commission explained that these products are widely used in building materials such as roofing, exterior cladding, and structural elements, as well as in automotive parts, home appliances, furniture, metal products, and piping or steel tubes.

The Harmonized System (HS) codes listed in the accompanying documentation total 11 items, ranging from 7210.41.0000 to 7226.99.3000. While the base tariff rate for these products is 8.0%, the preferential tariff rate under the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is 0%.

The petitioning companies are Dongkuk CM Co., Ltd., KG Steel Co., Ltd., and SeAH CM Co., Ltd. The Trade Commission initiated the investigation on November 28 last year and reached an affirmative preliminary determination at its 472nd plenary session on April 16 this year. At that time, the commission determined that domestic industry injury resulted from dumping and recommended the imposition of provisional anti-dumping duties. After a public hearing on July 23, the investigation reached this final determination. The case was handled by the Trade Remedy Policy Division of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Provisional Duties Ended on October 11, Leaving Definite Imposition Timing Undetermined

Data released by the Trade Commission on July 23 noted that provisional anti-dumping duties on Chinese galvanized cold-rolled products were in effect from June 12 to October 11, representing a four-month provisional measure. The final determination came on October 23, 12 days after that period expired. The October 23 press release does not mention whether the provisional duty imposition period was extended or by when the Ministry of Economy and Finance will decide on the definitive imposition. The decision on whether to actually levy the anti-dumping duties rests with the Minister of Economy and Finance upon receiving the recommendation.

The timeline was also delayed compared to earlier announcements. The April 16 preliminary determination material stated that a final determination was scheduled for "around September following the main investigation." In the July release, the expected timing of the final determination was revised to "slated for October."

Last year, the government took steps to extend the provisional duty period for another steel product. Through Public Notice No. 2025-139 on July 7, 2025, the Ministry of Economy and Finance issued an advance administrative notice to extend the imposition period for provisional anti-dumping duties on Chinese stainless steel plate. At the time, the ministry had been levying provisional duties from March 25, 2025, to July 24, 2025, pursuant to Ministry Notice No. 2025-10. Citing the need to prevent "injuries that may occur after the provisional measure period and prior to definitive imposition," the ministry announced that it would extend the imposition period until September 4 under Article 66, Paragraph 3 of the Enforcement Decree of the Customs Act. The deadline for submitting public comments was July 17. According to the Trade Commission's data from January this year, definitive anti-dumping measures on the plate took effect on September 5, 2025.

No Figures on Scale of Injury Appear Anywhere in Trade Commission Data

The Trade Commission released materials on galvanized cold-rolled steel during the April preliminary determination, the July public hearing, and the October final determination this year. In none of the three documents or attached tables were injury metrics provided—such as import volumes from China, domestic market share, import unit prices, domestic sales prices, or the production, operating rates, and operating profits of the three applicant companies. The only statement regarding injury in the October 23 press release was a single sentence stating that it was "determined that dumping existed and caused injury to the domestic industry." The July public hearing release also only stated that around 60 representatives from both petitioners and suppliers attended the hearing—combined with a public hearing for H-beams held on the same day—without including arguments from either side.

The period of investigation also does not appear in the documentation for this case. In contrast, the seamless steel pipe document, which reported the initiation of an investigation on the same day, specified the domestic injury investigation period as January 2021 to December 2025 and the dumping investigation period as January to December 2025. An investigation into Chinese tinplate initiated in July also disclosed its periods: January 2022 to December 2025 for domestic injury, and January to December 2025 for dumping.

Materials released by the Trade Commission on January 22 provided annual domestic average market sizes related to steel and chemical dumping cases. This market size grew from 150.3 billion won in 2021 to 397.6 billion won in 2022, 532.6 billion won in 2023, and 1.8657 trillion won in 2024, reaching 1.7971 trillion won in 2025. The body of the release introduced this as "around 1.8 trillion won." Even in these materials, dumping volumes and the extent of domestic manufacturers' revenue declines were absent.

Dumping Petitions Against Chinese Steel Spread to H-Beams, Steel Bars, Tinplate, and Seamless Steel Pipes

Trade remedies targeting Chinese steel are not limited to galvanized cold-rolled steel. At its 477th meeting on September 17, the Trade Commission made an affirmative final determination in the second sunset review on Chinese H-beams. Hyundai Steel and Dongkuk Steel had requested a review on September 26, 2025, and the commission initiated the sunset review on December 1. The subject products are structural steel sections with an H-shaped cross-section and a height of 80 mm or more, used as columns for buildings and factories, and in shipbuilding and civil engineering. The commission held a public hearing on July 23 and conducted on-site verifications of domestic producers and suppliers between August 6 and 14. The commission recommended accepting price undertakings from Laiwu Steel, Rizhao Steel, and their affiliates, while recommending anti-dumping duties of 28.23% to 32.72% for the next five years on remaining suppliers such as Antai, Baotou, Maanshan, Jinxi, Tianxing, and Hongrun. According to July materials, the original measure on H-beams ran for five years from July 30, 2015, to July 29, 2020, and the first review measure ran from March 30, 2021, to March 29, 2026. During the second review, the measures remained in force pursuant to Article 56, Paragraph 3 of the Customs Act.

Baotou Steel Union appears in both cases. It received a recommendation of a 22.34% duty and a price undertaking in the galvanized cold-rolled steel case, and a 32.72% duty in the H-beam case.

At the same meeting, the Trade Commission made an "affirmative preliminary determination that the domestic industry suffered material injury" from dumped Chinese alloy steel bars. SeAH Besteel and SeAH Changwon Integrated Special Steel filed the petition on February 27, and an investigation was opened on May 7. Provisional duty rates are 25.08% for Jiangsu Yonggang Group, 27.96% for Daye Special Steel and Singapore Jinteng International, and 27.33% for other suppliers. A public hearing is scheduled for December, with a final determination slated for February next year. Steel bars are used in components for automobiles, heavy construction equipment, shipbuilding, bearings, and industrial machinery.

In July, an investigation into Chinese tinplate requested by TCC Steel and Shinhua Dynamics was launched. The three suppliers subject to investigation are Jiangsu Youfu Sheet Technology, Yihong Industrial Development, and GDH Zhongyue (Zhongshan) Tinplate Industry. The notice was published in the Official Gazette on July 10, with a final determination expected in April next year. The investigation into seamless steel pipes reported at the meeting on the 23rd was requested by Iljin Steel. The three suppliers subject to investigation are Daye Steel, Tianjin Pipe, and Hengyang Valin. Seamless steel pipes are manufactured without seams by piercing round billets and hot-rolling them; they are used for mechanical structural pipes in machinery and automobiles, and as line pipes for transporting gas and liquids. Stainless steel pipes and oil country casing, tubing, and drill pipes were excluded. Six HS codes, including 7304.19.0000, are listed in the accompanying documentation. This investigation was launched on the 8th of this month, following a timeline of a preliminary determination in February 2027, a public hearing in May, and a final determination in July. The base tariff rate for these products is also 8.0%, but the Korea-China FTA rate is 0%.

Dumping Investigation Petitions Reached 13 Last Year, the Highest Since Trade Commission's Launch

According to 2025 operational performance data released by the Trade Commission on January 22, the number of anti-dumping investigation petitions last year reached 13, marked as the "highest ever since the Trade Commission's launch." Of these, nine targeted Chinese products. The annual number of petitions (total / China) was 6 / 4 in 2021, 6 / 4 in 2022, 8 / 4 in 2023, 10 / 8 in 2024, and 13 / 9 in 2025. Ten of last year's 13 petitions involved steel and chemical products; over the recent five-year period (2021–2025), 30 of the 43 total petitions concerned steel and chemicals.

Ongoing investigations also rose. The Trade Commission handled 22 investigations last year, of which 16 were related to China. By year, figures stood at 8 out of 11 in 2021, 6 out of 10 in 2022, 6 out of 12 in 2023, and 11 out of 16 in 2024. Among the 10 cases concluded last year (nine completed investigations, one withdrawal of application), eight were related to China, leaving 12 ongoing investigations as of year-end. As of the end of last year, 28 anti-dumping measures covering 15 countries were in effect, with 19 targeting China. By product category, 12 involved chemicals, seven involved steel and non-ferrous metals, six involved paper and wood, two involved glass and ceramics, and one involved textiles.

Eight anti-dumping measures newly took effect last year. Among them, steel items included the first review of stainless steel flat-rolled products from China, Indonesia, and Taiwan (effective May 16); stainless steel cold-rolled products from Vietnam (July 11); stainless steel plate from China (September 5); and hot-rolled carbon and alloy steel plate from China (November 24). The remainder were petroleum resin from China and Taiwan, particleboard from Thailand, sodium dithionite from China, and the second review of OPP film from China, Indonesia, and Thailand. This year, final determinations on Chinese galvanized cold-rolled steel and H-beams (second review) have been added, while investigations into steel bars, tinplate, and seamless steel pipes remain underway.

Duties on Offset Printing Plates Extended for Another Five Years

On the same day, the Trade Commission recommended extending anti-dumping duties on Chinese offset printing plates. This determination is the second sunset review for this product. The single HS code is 3701.30.2000, and both the base tariff rate and the Korea-China FTA rate are 0%. Jeil C&P Co., Ltd. requested a sunset review on October 31, 2025, and the Trade Commission initiated the review on January 8 this year. Five suppliers were subject to the review: Kodak Graphic, Boshica, Huaguang Graphic, Huaguang Baoli, and Zhongyin. Duties ranging from 8.78% to 10.32% had been levied on these products since May 3, 2021. Determining that dumping and injury to the domestic industry were likely to recur if the measure expired, the commission recommended levying a 10.32% duty on all Chinese suppliers for the next five years.

Sources (KST)

• Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Trade Commission) · Embargoed until 2026-10-23 17:00 · Trade Commission reaches final determinations on dumping investigations into Chinese galvanized cold-rolled steel and offset printing plates · https://m.korea.kr/briefing/pressReleaseView.do?newsId=156786324&gubun=pressRelease&pageIndex=1&repCode=
• Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Trade Commission) · 2026-10-23 · PDF attached to the same press release (Tariff rates by supplier, companies accepting price undertakings, investigation progress) · https://www.motir.go.kr/kor/article/ATCL3f49a5a8c/172325/view
• Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Trade Commission) · 2026-04-16 · Resolution recommending the imposition of provisional anti-dumping duties on Chinese zinc surface-treated cold-rolled products · https://www.motir.go.kr/kor/article/ATCL3f49a5a8c/171736/view
• Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Trade Commission) · 2026-07-23 · Trade Commission recommends imposition of anti-dumping duties on Chinese butyl acrylate (Reference: Public hearings on galvanized cold-rolled steel and H-beams, initiation of investigation on tinplate) · https://www.motir.go.kr/kor/article/ATCL3f49a5a8c/172047/view
• Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Trade Commission) · 2026-09-17 · Determinations on dumping investigations into Chinese H-beams and steel bars · https://www.motir.go.kr/kor/article/ATCL3f49a5a8c/172221/view
• Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Trade Commission) · 2026-01-22 · Affirmative determinations on dumping and domestic industry injury from Chinese single-mode optical fibers and Thai seamless copper pipes (2025 Trade Remedy Operational Results) · https://www.motir.go.kr/kor/article/ATCL3f49a5a8c/171460/view
• Ministry of Economy and Finance Advance Administrative Notice No. 2025-139 · 2025-07-07 · Extension of the imposition period for provisional anti-dumping duties on Chinese stainless steel plate · https://opinion.lawmaking.go.kr/gcom/admpp/45308