89 FR 237 pgs. 99224-99225 - Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-Length Plate From the Republic of Korea: Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2022

Type: NOTICEVolume: 89Number: 237Pages: 99224 - 99225
Docket number: [C-580-888]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2024-28990 Filed 12-9-24; 8:45 am]
Agency: Commerce Department
Sub Agency: International Trade Administration
Official PDF Version:  PDF Version
Pages: 99224, 99225

[top] page 99224

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-580-888]

Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-Length Plate From the Republic of Korea: Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2022

AGENCY:

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

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that countervailable subsidies were provided to POSCO Co., Ltd. (POSCO), a producer and exporter of certain carbon and alloy steel cut-to-length plate (CTL plate) from the Republic of Korea (Korea), during the period of review (POR) from January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022.

DATES:

Applicable December 10, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Faris Montgomery or Laurel Smalley, AD/CVD Operations, Office VIII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-1537 or (202) 482-3456, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On May 31, 2024, Commerce published the Preliminary Results of this administrative review in the Federal Register , and invited interested parties to comment. 1 On July 22, 2024, Commerce tolled certain deadlines in this administrative proceeding by seven days. 2 On September 6, 2024, Commerce extended the deadline for the final results of this review to no later than December 4, 2024. 3 For a complete description of the events that followed the Preliminary Results, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum. 4

Footnotes:

1 ? See Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-Length Plate from the Republic of Korea: Preliminary Results and Partial Rescission of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2022, 89 FR 47131 (May 31, 2024) ( Preliminary Results ), and accompanying Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

2 ? See Memorandum, "Tolling of Deadlines for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings," dated July 22, 2024.

3 ? See Memorandum, "Extension of Deadline for Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review," dated September 6, 2024.

4 ? See Memorandum, "Issues and Decision Memorandum for the Final Results of the Countervailing Duty Administrative Review: Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-Length Plate from the Republic of Korea; 2022," dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Issues and Decision Memorandum).

We conducted this review in accordance with section 751 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).

Scope of the Order? 5

Footnotes:

5 ? See Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-Length Plate from the Republic of Korea: Countervailing Duty Order, 82 FR 24103 (May 25, 2017) ( Order ).


[top] The merchandise covered by the Order is CTL plate. For a complete description of the scope of the Order, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum. page 99225

Analysis of Comments Received

All issues raised in interested parties' briefs are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. A list of the issues addressed is attached at the 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 registered users at https://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.

Changes Since the Preliminary Results

Based on our analysis of the case and rebuttal briefs and the evidence on the record, we made certain changes to POSCO's countervailable subsidy calculations from the Preliminary Results. These changes are explained in the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

Methodology

Commerce conducted this review in accordance with section 751(a)(1)(A) of 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. 6 The Issues and Decision Memorandum contains a full description of the methodology underlying Commerce's conclusions.

Footnotes:

6 ? 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.

Final Results of Review

In accordance with 19 CFR 351.221(b)(5), we calculated an individual net countervailable subsidy rate for POSCO. Commerce determines that, during the POR, the net countervailable subsidy rate for the producers/exporter under review is as follows:

Producer/exporter Subsidy rate (percent ad valorem )
POSCO Co., Ltd. 7 1.47

Disclosure

Footnotes:

7 ?As discussed in the Preliminary Results, Commerce found the following companies to be cross-owned with POSCO: POSCO Chemical Co., Ltd.; POSCO Holdings Inc.; POSCO Mobility Solution Co., Ltd.; POSCO M-Tech Co., Ltd.; and POSCO Nippon Steel RHF Joint Venture Co., Ltd. The subsidy rate applies to all cross-owned companies. We note that POSCO has an affiliated trading company through which it exported certain subject merchandise during the POR, POSCO International (aka POSCO International Corporation). POSCO International was not selected as a mandatory respondent but was examined in the context of POSCO. Therefore, there is not an established countervailing duty rate for POSCO International; POSCO International's subsidies are accounted for in POSCO's total subsidy rate. Instead, entries of subject merchandise exported by POSCO International will receive the rate of the producer listed on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) entry form. Thus, the subsidy rate applied to POSCO and POSCO's cross-owned companies is also applied to POSCO International for entries of subject merchandise produced by POSCO.

Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis performed in connection with these final results to interested parties within five days of its public announcement, or if there is no public announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this notice, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b)

Assessment Rates

Pursuant to section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.212(b)(2), Commerce has determined, and CBP shall assess, countervailing duties on all appropriate entries of subject merchandise in accordance with the final results of this review, for the above-listed company at the applicable ad valorem assessment rate. We intend 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)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to instruct CBP to collect cash deposits of estimated countervailing duties in the amount shown for the company listed above based on shipments of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of the final results of this administrative review. 8 For all non-reviewed firms subject to the Order, we will instruct CBP to continue to collect cash deposits of estimated countervailing duties at the most recent company-specific rate or the all-others rate ( i.e., 3.72 percent), as appropriate. 9 These cash deposit requirements, effective upon publication of these final results, shall remain in effect until further notice.

Footnotes:

8 ? See, e.g., Honey from Argentina: Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review, 69 FR 29518 (May 24, 2004), and accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum at Issue 4.

9 ? See Order, 82 FR 24103.

Administrative Protective Order (APO)

This notice also serves as a reminder to parties subject to an APO of their responsibility concerning the destruction of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written notification of the return or 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 sanctionable violation.

Notification to Interested Parties

We are issuing and publishing these final results of administrative review and notice in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.221(b)(5).

Dated: December 4, 2024.

Abdelali Elouaradia,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix

List of Topics Discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum

I. Summary

II. Background

III. Scope of the Order

IV. Subsidies Valuation Information

V. Analysis of Programs

VI. Discussion of the Comments

Comment 1: Whether Electricity Is Subsidized by the Government of Korea (GOK)

Comment 2: Whether the Provision of Korea Emissions Trading System (K-ETS) Permits Is Countervailable

Comment 3: Whether Local Tax Deductions Under the Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act (RSLTA) Article 57-2 Are Countervailable

Comment 4: Whether the Benchmark Calculation for Electricity for More Than Adequate Remuneration (MTAR) Correctly Reflects the Volume of Electricity Purchased

Comment 5: Whether the Quota Tariff Import Duty Exemptions Under Article 71 of the Customs Act Program Is De Facto Specific

Comment 6: Whether Certain Tax Exemptions, Import Duty Exemptions, and Loans Are Tied to the Production of Non-Subject Merchandise

VII. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2024-28990 Filed 12-9-24; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P