Certain Cut-to-Length Carbon-Quality Steel Plate From the Republic of Korea: Final Results, and Rescission, in Part, of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2020
The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that countervailable subsidies are not being provided to certain producers and exporters of certain cut-to-length carbon-qu...
Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY:
The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that countervailable subsidies are not being provided to certain producers and exporters of certain cut-to-length carbon-quality steel plate from the Republic of Korea (Korea). The period of review (POR) is January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020.
DATES:
Applicable September 1, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Lindgren, AD/CVD Operations, Office III, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-1671.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Commerce published the
Preliminary Results
of this review on March 2, 2022 and, subsequently, on May 12, 2022, issued its post-preliminary analysis.[1]
On June 8, 2022, Commerce extended the final results of review to August 26, 2022.[2]
For a complete description of the events that occurred since the
Preliminary Results, see
the Issues and Decision Memorandum.[3]
The product covered by this order is certain cut-to-length carbon-quality steel plate. For a complete description of the scope of this order,
see
the Issues and Decision Memorandum.
Rescission of Administrative Review, In Part
Based on our analysis of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data and comments received from interested parties, we determine that two companies, BDP International and Sung Jin Steel Co., Ltd had no reviewable shipments, sales, or entries of subject merchandise during the POR. Absent evidence of shipments on the record, we are rescinding the administrative review of these companies, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3). For further information,
see
“Rescission of Administrative Review, in Part” in the Issues and Decision Memorandum.
Analysis of Comments Received
All issues raised in interested parties' briefs are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. A list of topics discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum is included as an appendix to this notice. The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to
( printed page 53729)
registered users at
http://access.trade.gov.
In addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at
https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.
Methodology
Commerce conducted this review in accordance with section 751(a)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). For each of the subsidy programs found countervailable, we find that there is a subsidy,
i.e.,
a government-provided financial contribution that gives rise to a benefit to the recipient, and that the subsidy is specific.[5]
For a description of the methodology underlying all of Commerce's conclusions,
see
the Issues and Decision Memorandum.
Changes Since the Preliminary Results
Based on a review of the record and comments received from interested parties regarding our
Preliminary Results,
and for the reasons explained in the Issues and Decision Memorandum, we made certain changes for these final results of review.
Companies Not Selected for Individual Review
To determine the rate for companies not selected for individual examination, Commerce's practice is to weight average the net countervailable subsidy rates for the selected mandatory companies, excluding rates that are zero,
de minimis,
or based entirely on facts available.[6]
In this review, we calculated a
de minimis
net countervailable subsidy rate for the sole mandatory respondent Hyundai Steel Co., Ltd. (Hyundai Steel). In countervailing duty proceedings, where the number of respondents individually examined has been limited, Commerce has determined that a “reasonable method” to use to determine the rate applicable to companies not individually examined when all the rates of selected mandatory respondents are zero or
de minimis
is to assign to the non-selected respondents the average of the most recently determined rates that are not zero,
de minimis,
or based entirely on facts available.[7]
However, as discussed in the Issues and Decisions Memorandum, where a non-selected respondent has a calculated rate in a prior segment of the proceeding, Commerce finds it appropriate to apply the most recently calculated rate for that respondent (even when that rate is zero or
de minimis
) unless Commerce determines that rate to be obsolete.[8]
In the 2018 administrative review of the
Order,
we calculated a net countervailable subsidy rate of 0.28 percent
ad valorem
(
de minimis
) for Dongkuk Steel Mill Co., Ltd. (DSM),[9]
which was not individually examined in this review. Therefore, consistent with Commerce's practice, described above, we are assigning the rate of 0.28 percent
ad valorem
to DSM, based on the company's most recent calculated rate.
See
the Issues and Decisions Memorandum for a discussion of assigning this rate to DSM.
Final Results of Administrative Review
We determine that, for the period January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020, the following net countervailable subsidy rates exist:
Company
Subsidy rate
(percent
ad valorem)
Hyundai Steel Co., Ltd
0.25 (
de minimis).
Dongkuk Steel Mill Co., Ltd
0.28 (
de minimis).
Disclosure
Commerce intends to disclose the calculations performed for these final results of review within five days of the date of publication of this notice in the
Federal Register
, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).
Assessment Rate
In accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(b)(2), Commerce intends to issue assessment instructions to CBP to liquidate shipments of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020, for the above-listed companies (to which a
de minimis
rate is assigned) without regard to countervailing duties. For the companies for which this review is rescinded, we will instruct CBP to assess countervailing duties on all appropriate entries at a rate equal to the cash deposit of estimated countervailing duties required at the time of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption, during the period January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(c)(l)(i). Commerce intends to issue assessment instructions to CBP no earlier than 35 days after the date of publication of the final results of this review in the
Federal Register
. If a timely summons is filed at the U.S. Court of International Trade, the assessment instructions will direct CBP not to liquidate relevant entries until the time for parties to file a request for a statutory injunction has expired (
i.e.,
within 90 days of publication).
Cash Deposit Rates
For the companies listed above for which the subsidy rates are
de minimis,
no cash deposit will be required of these companies on shipments of the subject merchandise entered or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of the final results of this review. For all non-reviewed firms, we will instruct CBP to continue to collect cash deposits of estimated countervailing duties at the most recent company-specific or all-others rate (
i.e.,
3.26 percent) [10]
applicable to the company, as appropriate. These cash deposits, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further notice.
Administrative Protective Order
This notice also serves as a final reminder to parties subject to administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the return or destruction of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3), which continues to govern business proprietary information in this segment of proceeding. Timely written notification of the return/destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and terms of an APO is a violation subject to sanction.
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
Appendix
List of Topics Discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum
I. Summary
II. List of Issues
III. Background
IV. Scope of the Order
V. Period of Review
VI. Rescission of Administrative Review, In Part
VII. Subsidies Valuation Information
VIII. Analysis of Programs
IX. Discussion of Comments
Comment 1: Whether the Korea Emissions Trading System is Countervailable
Comment 2: Whether the Preliminary Korea Emissions Trading System Benefit Calculation was Incorrect
Comment 3: Whether Provision of Port Usage Rights at the Port of Incheon is Countervailable
Comment 4: Whether Electricity is Subsidized by the Government of Korea
Comment 5: Whether Hyundai Steel and Hyundai Green Power are Cross-Owned
Comment 6: Whether the Reduction of Sewerage Usage Fees in Pohang Constitutes a Countervailable Subsidy
Comment 7: Selection of a Final Rate for Dongkuk Steel Mill Co., Ltd.
X. Recommendation
Footnotes
1.
See Certain Cut-to-Length Carbon-Quality Steel Plate from the Republic of Korea: Preliminary Results and Preliminary Intent To Rescind, in Part, the Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2020,87 FR 11688 (March 2, 2022) (
Preliminary Results), and accompanying Preliminary Decision Memorandum;
see also
Memorandum, “Countervailing Duty Administrative Review of Certain Cut-To Length Carbon-Quality Steel Plate from the Republic of Korea; 2020: Post-Preliminary Analysis Memorandum,” dated May 12, 2022.
3.
See
Memorandum, “Decision Memorandum for the Final Results of the Countervailing Duty Administrative Review, 2020: Certain Cut-To-Length Carbon-Quality Steel Plate from the Republic of Korea,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Issues and Decision Memorandum).
4.
See Notice of Amended Final Determination: Certain Cut-to-Length Carbon-Quality Steel Plate from India and the Republic of Korea; and Notice of Countervailing Duty Orders: Certain Cut-to-Length Carbon-Quality Steel Plate from France, India, Indonesia, Italy, and the Republic of Korea,65 FR 6587 (February 10, 2000) (
Order).
5.
See
sections 771(5)(B) and (D) of the Act regarding financial contribution; section 771(5)(E) of the Act regarding benefit; and section 771(5A) of the Act regarding specificity.
7.
See, e.g., Circular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes from Turkey: Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; Calendar Year 2012 and Rescission of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review, in Part,79 FR 51140, 51141 (August 27, 2014); and
Cut-to-Length Carbon-Quality Steel Plate from the Republic of Korea: Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2012,79 FR 46770 (August 11, 2014), and accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum, at “Non-Selected Rate.”
9.
See Certain Cut-to-Length Carbon-Quality Steel Plate from the Republic of Korea: Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; Calendar Year 2018,85 FR 84296 (December 28, 2020).
Use this for formal legal and research references to the published document.
87 FR 53728
Web Citation
Suggested Web Citation
Use this when citing the archival web version of the document.
“Certain Cut-to-Length Carbon-Quality Steel Plate From the Republic of Korea: Final Results, and Rescission, in Part, of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2020,” thefederalregister.org (September 1, 2022), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2022-18952/certain-cut-to-length-carbon-quality-steel-plate-from-the-republic-of-korea-final-results-and-rescission-in-part-of-coun.