Certain Hot-Rolled Steel Flat Products From the Republic of Korea: Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review and Rescission in Part; 2019

AGENCY:

Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that certain producers/exporters of certain hot-rolled steel flat products (hot-rolled steel) from the Republic of Korea (Korea) received countervailable subsidies during the period of review (POR) January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2019. Additionally, we are rescinding this review with respect to 13 companies. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

DATES:

Applicable November 4, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kelsie Hohenberger, AD/CVD Operations, Office V, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-2517.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On December 8, 2020, Commerce published a notice of initiation of an administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on hot-rolled steel from Korea. On January 12, 2021, Commerce selected Hyundai Steel as the mandatory respondent in this administrative review. On June 16, 2021, Commerce extended the deadline for the preliminary results of this review. The revised deadline for these preliminary results is now October 29, 2021.

For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this review, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. A list of topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included at Appendix I to this notice. The Preliminary 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 registered users at http://access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.

Scope of the Order

The product covered by the Order is hot-rolled steel from Korea. For a complete description of the scope of the Order, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Rescission of Administrative Review, in Part

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce will rescind an administrative review, in whole or in part, if the parties that requested a review withdraw the request within 90 days of the date of publication of the notice of initiation. Commerce received a timely-filed withdrawal request from the petitioners, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1). Because the withdrawal request was timely filed, and no other party requested a review of these companies, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce is rescinding this review with respect to the following companies: DCE Inc; Dong Chuel America Inc.; Dong Chuel Industrial Co., Ltd.; Dongbu Incheon Steel Co., Ltd.; Dongbu Steel Co., Ltd.; Dongkuk Industries Co., Ltd.; Dongkuk Steel Mill Co., Ltd.; Hyewon Sni Corporation (H.S.I.); JFE Shoji Trade Korea Ltd.; POSCO Coated & Color Steel Co., Ltd.; POSCO Daewoo Corporation; Soon Hong Trading Co., Ltd.; and Sung-A Steel Co., Ltd.

Methodology

Commerce is conducting 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 preliminarily determine 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. For a full description of the methodology underlying all of Commerce's conclusions, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Preliminary Rate for Non-Selected Company Under Review

There is one company in this review that was not selected as a mandatory respondent, i.e., POSCO. The Act and Commerce's regulations do not directly address the rates to be applied to companies not selected for individual examination where Commerce limits its examination in an administrative review pursuant to section 777A(e)(2) of the Act. However, Commerce normally determines the rates for non-selected companies in reviews in a manner that is consistent with section 705(c)(5) of the Act, which provides instructions for calculating the all-others rate in an investigation.

Section 705(c)(5)(A)(i) of the Act instructs Commerce, as a general rule, to calculate an all-others rate equal to the weighted average of the countervailable subsidy rates established for exporters and/or producers individually examined, excluding any rates that are zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts available. Commerce is, accordingly, basing the subsidy rate for POSCO on the rate calculated for Hyundai Steel.

Preliminary Results of Administrative Review

We preliminarily determine the following net countervailable subsidy rates for the period January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2019:

Disclosure and Public Comment

We will disclose to the parties in this proceeding the calculations performed in reaching the preliminary results within five days of the date of publication of these preliminary results. Case briefs, or other written comments, may be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance at a date to be determined. Rebuttal comments (rebuttal briefs), limited to issues raised in case briefs, may be filed within seven days after the time limit for filing case briefs. Parties who submit arguments are requested to submit with each argument: (1) A statement of the issue; (2) a brief summary of the argument; and (3) a table of authorities. All briefs must be filed electronically using ACCESS. Note that Commerce has temporarily modified certain of its requirements for serving documents containing business proprietary information under further notice.

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, filed electronically via ACCESS by 5 p.m. Eastern Time within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. Hearing requests should contain: (1) The party's name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of participants; and (3) a list of the issues to be discussed. Issues addressed at the hearing will be limited to those raised in the briefs. If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a time and date to be determined. Parties should confirm the date and time of the hearing two days before the scheduled date. Parties are reminded that all briefs and hearing requests must be filed electronically using ACCESS and received successfully in their entirety by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.

Assessment Rate

Pursuant to section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act, upon issuance of the final results, Commerce shall determine, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall assess, countervailing duties on all appropriate entries of subject merchandise in accordance with the final results of this review. If the assessment rate calculated in the final results in zero or de minimis, we will instruct CBP to liquidate all appropriate entries without regard to countervailing duties. 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 Requirements

In accordance with section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act, Commerce intends to instruct CBP to collect cash deposits of estimated countervailing duties in the amounts shown for the companies listed above, except, where the rate calculated in the final results is de minimis, no cash deposit will be required 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 applicable to the company, as appropriate. These cash deposits, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further notice.

Final Results of Review

Commerce intends to issue the final results of this administrative review, including the results of our analysis of the issues raised by the parties in their comments, no later than 120 days after the date of publication of this notice, pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(h)(1), unless this deadline is extended.

Notice to Interested Parties

These preliminary results are issued and published in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.213 and 19 CFR 351.221(b)(4).

Appendix

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary

II. Background

III. Period of Review

IV. Partial Rescission of Administrative Review

V. Scope of the Order

VI. Non-Selected Company Under Review

VII. Subsidies Valuation Information

VIII. Analysis of Programs

IX. Recommendation