South Korea to Initiate Anti-Dumping Probe into Chinese and Japanese HRC Imports

[South Korea to Launch Anti-Dumping Investigation on HRC] According to Korean media reports, Hyundai Steel has submitted an application to the Korea Trade Commission, claiming that Chinese and Japanese steel manufacturers are selling HRC in South Korea at prices lower than the domestic market price. The company has requested an anti-dumping investigation into HRC originating from China and Japan. Currently, this anti-dumping investigation application is under review by the Korea Trade Commission and is expected to be officially filed in early March.

According to statistics from the Korea International Trade Association, from 2021 to January 2025, South Korea's total imports of hot-rolled steel plates (MTI 6132 product category) reached 14.98 million mt, with Japan accounting for 7.53 million mt and China accounting for 6.49 million mt, together exceeding 90% of the total. In fact, South Korea's steel exports have continued to remain sluggish, and previously, Korean media, disregarding market dynamics, attempted to attribute the global steel demand contraction and its own lack of competitiveness to China.