South Korea’s Hyundai Steel and Dongkuk Steel have formally asked the government to extend anti-dumping duties on Chinese H-beams, local media reported. The companies filed an application with the Trade Commission under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to prolong both anti-dumping duties and price undertaking measures that have been in place since 2015.
The duties, first imposed after a 2014 petition, range from 28.23pct to 32.72pct and were intended to curb dumping by Chinese producers. They were last extended in 2021 and are scheduled to expire in March 2026.
Without renewal, the industry fears duty-free Chinese imports could once again disrupt the domestic market. Before the duties were imposed, China exported 737,000 tons of H-beams to Korea in 2014, equivalent to nearly 30pct of last year’s domestic output.
Industry groups argue that restrictions remain necessary, particularly as H-beam imports from Japan and Vietnam continue to surge. Of 365,000 tons imported in 2024, Japanese and Vietnamese suppliers accounted for 43pct and 36pct, respectively.
