2020-19650. Certain Hot-Rolled Steel Flat Products From the Republic of Korea: Partial Rescission of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2018

AGENCY:

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

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is partially rescinding the administrative review of the countervailing duty order on certain hot-rolled steel flat products (hot-rolled steel) from the Republic of Korea for the period of review (POR) January 01, 2018 through December 31, 2018.

DATES:

Applicable September 4, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Annathea Cook, AD/CVD Operations, Office V, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On October 1, 2019, Commerce published a notice of opportunity to request an administrative review of the countervailing duty order on hot-rolled steel from the Republic of Korea.^[1] Pursuant to requests from interested parties, Commerce initiated an administrative review with respect to 15 companies, in accordance with section 751(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).^[2] Subsequent to the initiation of the administrative review, the petitioners ^[3] timely withdrew their request for an administrative review of 14 companies, as discussed below. No other party requested an administrative review of these companies.

Partial Rescission of Administrative Review

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce will rescind an administrative review, in whole or in part, if the party that requested a review withdraws its request within 90 days of the date of publication of the notice of initiation. The request for an administrative review of the following companies was withdrawn within 90 days of the date of publication of the Initiation Notice: DCE Inc; Dong Chuel America Inc; Dong Chuel Industrial Co., Ltd; Dongbu Incheon Steel Co.,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; POSCO Coated & Color Steel Co., Ltd; POSCO Daewoo Corporation; Soon Hong Trading Co., Ltd; and Sung-A Steel Co., Ltd.^[4] As a result, Commerce is rescinding this review with respect to these 14 companies, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1). The review will continue with respect to Hyundai Steel Company.^[5]

Assessment

Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess countervailing duties on all appropriate entries. For the companies for which this review is rescinded, countervailing duties shall be assessed at rates equal to the cash deposit of estimated countervailing duties required at the time of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse for consumption, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(c)(l)(i). Commerce intends to issue appropriate assessment instructions to CBP 15 days after publication of this notice.

Notification to Importers

This notice serves as a final reminder to importers of their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2) to file a certificate regarding the reimbursement of countervailing duties prior to liquidation of the relevant entries during this review period. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in the presumption that reimbursement of countervailing duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of doubled countervailing duties.

Notification Regarding Administrative Protective Orders

This notice also serves as a 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 the proceeding. 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 violation which is subject to sanction.

Notification to Interested Parties

This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(l) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.213(d)(4).

Dated: August 31, 2020.

James Maeder,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations.

Footnotes

1.  See Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation; Opportunity to Request Administrative Review, 84 FR 52068 (October 1, 2019).

2.  See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews, 84 FR 67712 (December 11, 2019) (Initiation Notice).

3.  Collectively, the petitioners are AK Steel Corporation, ArcelorMittal USA LLC, Nucor Corporation, SSAB Enterprises, LLC, Steel Dynamics, Inc., and United States Steel Corporation.

4.  See Petitioners' Letter, “Certain Hot-Rolled Steel Flat Products from the Republic of Korea: Partial Withdrawal of Request for Administrative Review,” dated March 10, 2020.

5.  See Initiation Notice, 84 FR 67714.