US Commerce Department Finds No Dumping inKorean Welded Line Pipe Case
The United States Department of Commerce has issued itspreliminary determination in the antidumping duty investigation of welded linepipe imports from South Korea. In a significant development for Korean steelexporters, the Commerce Department has assigned a zero percent dumping marginto all Korean producers and exporters of the products under investigation.
This preliminary finding indicates that, based on theevidence examined thus far, the Department of Commerce has not found thatKorean manufacturers are selling welded line pipe in the US market at less thanfair value, the practice commonly known as dumping.
Contrast with Earlier Countervailing DutyFindings
The zero dumping margin determination stands in contrast tothe preliminary countervailing duty rates announced earlier this year for thesame products. In February 2025, the Commerce Department issued preliminarycountervailing duty rates ranging from 0.55 percent to 1.67 percent on weldedline pipe imports from South Korea.
Countervailing duties are imposed to offset the effects ofgovernment subsidies provided to foreign manufacturers, while antidumpingduties address the practice of selling products abroad at prices lower than inthe home market or below production costs. The two types of investigations areconducted separately but often run parallel to each other for the sameproducts.
Key Takeaways:
• The US Department of Commerce has issued a preliminarydetermination assigning a zero percent dumping margin to all South Koreanproducers and exporters of welded line pipe.
• This finding indicates that, based on evidence examinedthus far, the Commerce Department has not found that Korean manufacturers areselling welded line pipe in the US market at less than fair value.
• The zero dumping margin contrasts with the preliminarycountervailing duty rates of 0.55-1.67 percent announced in February 2025 forthe same products.
• The investigations were initiated following a petitionfrom US domestic producers, including Welspun Tubular LLC, Stupp Corporation,and other American manufacturers.
• Welded line pipe is primarily used in oil and gaspipeline applications, making it a strategically important product for energyinfrastructure.
