Seoul: South Korea's trade watchdog announced a preliminary decision to impose anti-dumping tariffs on PVC paste resin imports from Germany, France, Norway, and Sweden. This decision follows an initial investigation that identified potential harm to the domestic industry.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korea Trade Commission (KTC) will request the Ministry of Economy and Finance to implement anti-dumping tariffs ranging from 25.79 to 42.81 percent on products imported from the four European countries. PVC paste resin, a durable plastic material made from fine powder, is commonly used in products like wallpaper, sofas, shoes, and gloves.

The investigation was initiated by the KTC in August after receiving a complaint from Hanwha Solutions Corp., a South Korean chemical producer. The complaint alleged dumping activities by companies from the four nations, including Germany's Westlake Vinnolit GmbH and Co., France's Kem One, Norway's Inovyn Europe Ltd., and Sweden's Inovyn Trade Services.

In a separate case, the commission is also investigating claims that three Chinese companies sold cold-rolled products of carbon steel or alloy steel at prices below fair market value. Additionally, a public hearing was conducted to assess whether industrial robot imports from Japan and China have harmed Korean industries, with a final decision expected early next year.

The KTC has preliminarily decided to impose anti-dumping duties ranging from 21.17 percent to 43.6 percent on industrial robot products exported by two Japanese companies, Fanuc Corp. and Yaskawa Electric Corp., as well as three Chinese companies, including Kuka Robotics Guangdong Co. and Abb Engineering Shanghai Ltd.