[230218.ID.BIZ] South Korea Charges US Commerce Department With Unfair Trade Practices

SOUTH KOREA has launched a World Trade Organisation dispute that argues a key provision of America's anti-dumping and countervailing investigations violates WTO rules.

South Korea claims the US Commerce Department improperly applied "adverse facts available" from Korean producers and exporters in six anti-dumping and countervailing cases involving various Korean products, reports Bloomberg.

Though WTO rules permit countries to levy tariffs based on facts that are available at the time if a targeted firm fails to cooperate in trade remedy investigations, Korea said the US did not assess the facts "properly and objectively."

A request for consultations marks the first step in WTO dispute proceedings. The US and South Korea now have 60 days to engage in discussions aimed at settling the disagreement before the latter may pursue a WTO investigation into the matter.

Source : HKSG.