Preliminary Results of the Antidumping Duty Administrative Review: Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products from the Republic of Korea

Federal Register: September 8, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 172)

Notices

Page 46110-46115

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr08se09-48

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

A-580-816

Certain Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products from the

Republic of Korea: Notice of Preliminary Results of the Antidumping

Duty Administrative Review

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration,

Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: In response to timely requests, the Department of Commerce

(the Department) is conducting the fifteenth administrative review of the antidumping order on corrosion-resistant carbon steel flat products

(CORE) from the Republic of (Korea). This review covers seven manufacturers and/or exporters (collectively, the respondents) of the subject merchandise: LG Chem., Ltd. (LG Chem), Haewon MSC Co. Ltd.

(Haewon), Dongbu Steel Co., Ltd., (Dongbu); Hyundai HYSCO (HYSCO);

Pohang Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. (POSCO) and Pohang Coated Steel Co., Ltd.

(POCOS) (collectively, POSCO); and Union Steel Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

(Union). The period of review (POR) is August 1, 2007, through July 31, 2008. We preliminarily determine that Union made sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value (NV). We preliminarily determine that HYSCO and POSCO have not made sales below NV.

In addition, based on the preliminary results for the respondents selected for an individual review, we have preliminarily determined a margin for those companies that were not selected for individual review. If these preliminary results are adopted in the final results of this administrative review, we will instruct U.S. Customs and Border

Protection (CBP) to assess antidumping duties on all appropriate entries of subject merchandise during the POR.

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 8, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis McClure (Union, POSCO, and all others), and Christopher Hargett (HYSCO), AD/CVD Operations, Office 3,

Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S.

Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-5973, (202) 482-4161, and

(202) 482-5075, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On August 19, 1993, the Department published the antidumping order on CORE from Korea. See Antidumping Duty Orders on Certain Cold-Rolled

Carbon Steel Flat Products and Certain Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel

Flat Products from Korea, 58 FR 44159 (August 19, 1993) (Orders on

Certain Steel from Korea). On August 1, 2008, we published in the

Federal Register the Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation; Opportunity to Request Administrative

Review, 73 FR 44966 (August 1, 2008). Between August 20, 2008, and

September 2, 2008, respondents and petitioners\1\ requested a review of

Dongbu, HYSCO, POSCO, Union, Dongkuk Industries Co., Ltd. (Dongkuk),

Haewon and LG Chem. The Department initiated a review of each of the companies for which a review was requested. See Initiation of

Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews and Requests for Revocation in Part, 73 FR 56794 (September 30, 2008).

\1\ Petitioners are the United States Steel Corporation (U.S.

Steel), Nucor Corporation (Nucor), and Mittal Steel USA ISG, Inc.

(Mittal Steel USA).

On December 8, 2008, the Department selected HYSCO and Union as mandatory respondents in this review. See Memorandum from Christopher

Hargett, International Trade Compliance Analyst, through James

Terpstra, Program Manager, to Melissa Skinner, Director, Office 3, entitled ``2007-2008 Antidumping Duty Administrative Review of

Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products from the Republic of

Korea: Selection of Respondents for Individual Review,'' dated December 8, 2008. The Department indicated that it would calculate a weighted- average of the mandatory respondents' margins to apply to those companies not selected for individual examination.

On July 2, 2009, we published the notice of rescission of this antidumping duty administrative review with respect to Dongkuk because it had no sales of subject merchandise to the United States during the

POR.\2\

\2\ See Certain Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products from the Republic of Korea: Notice of Rescission of Antidumping Duty

Administrative Review, In Part, 74 FR 28664 (June 17, 2009).

On July 8, 2009, we reconsidered our resources and found it practicable to review POSCO as a voluntary respondent. Specifically, in other antidumping duty cases being conducted by the office, several review requests were withdrawn and/or respondents have ceased participating in the review. Moreover, POSCO submitted a timely response to the Department's questionnaire. Therefore, we selected

POSCO as a voluntary respondent in the instant review.\3\

\3\ See memo from James Terpstra to Melissa Skinner entitled

``2007-2008 Antidumping Duty Administrative Review of Certain

Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products from the Republic of

Korea: Selection of POSCO as a Voluntary Respondent,'' dated July 8, 2009.

At the time we issued the questionnaire, during the most recently completed segments of the proceeding in which HYSCO and Union participated,\4\ the Department

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disregarded sales below the cost of production (COP) that failed the cost test. Therefore, pursuant to section 773(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the

Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), we had reasonable grounds to believe or suspect that sales by these companies of the foreign like product under consideration for the determination of NV in this review were made at prices below the COP. We instructed HYSCO and Union to respond to sections A-E of the initial questionnaire,\5\ which we issued on December 8, 2008. In its voluntary response, POSCO responded to sections A-E of the questionnaire.

\4\ See Certain Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products from the Republic of Korea: Notice of Final Results of the

Thirteenth Administrative Review and Partial Rescission, 73 FR 14220

(March 17, 2008) (CORE 13 Final Results); see also Certain

Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products from the Republic of

Korea: Notice of Final Results of the Twelfth Administrative Review and Partial Rescission, 72 FR 13086 (March 20, 2007) (CORE 12 Final

Results).

\5\ Section A: Organization, Accounting Practices, Markets and

Merchandise; Section B: Comparison Market Sales; Section C: Sales to the United States; Section D: Cost of Production and Constructed

Value; Section E: Further Manufacturing.

On April 27, 2009, the Department published a notice extending the time period for issuing the preliminary results of the fifteenth administrative review to August 31, 2009.\6\

\6\ See Corrosion-resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products From the

Republic of Korea: Extension of Time Limits for the Preliminary

Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 74 FR 19049

(April 27, 2009).

HYSCO

On February 11, 2009, HYSCO submitted its sections A-D response to the Department's initial questionnaire. HYSCO submitted its response to the Department's supplemental questionnaires for sections A-C on May 21, 2009, and July 23, 2009, and submitted its response to the

Department's supplemental questionnaire for section D on August 27, 2009. HYSCO submitted a reconciliation of its home market and U.S. sales databases on August 10, 2009. The Department has used the COP database submitted on May 21, 2009, for these preliminary results, and will take into consideration the COP database submitted on August 27, 2009, for the final results.

Union

On January 14, 2009, Union submitted its section A response to the initial questionnaire. On February 5, 2009, Union submitted its response to sections B and C of the Department's questionnaire. On

April 9, 2009, and June 24, 2009, Union submitted its responses to the

Department's supplemental questionnaires for sections A-C. Union submitted a reconciliation of its home market and U.S. sales databases on August 10, 2009. On August 27, 2009, Union submitted its response to the Department's supplemental questionnaire for section D. The

Department has used the COP database submitted on February 4, 2009, for these preliminary results, and will take into consideration the COP database submitted on August 27, 2009, for the final results.

POSCO

On February 11, 2009 (the deadline applied to HYSCO), POSCO submitted its sections A through D response to the initial questionnaire. On August 7, 2009, POSCO submitted its response the

Department's supplemental questionnaire for Section D. POSCO submitted a reconciliation of its home market and U.S. sales databases on August 10, 2009.

Period of Review

The POR covered by this review is August 1, 2007, through July 31, 2008.

Scope of the Order

This order covers flat-rolled carbon steel products, of rectangular shape, either clad, plated, or coated with corrosion-resistant metals such as zinc, aluminum, or zinc-, aluminum-, nickel- or iron-based alloys, whether or not corrugated or painted, varnished or coated with plastics or other nonmetallic substances in addition to the metallic coating, in coils (whether or not in successively superimposed layers) and of a width of 0.5 inch or greater, or in straight lengths which, if of a thickness less than 4.75 millimeters, are of a width of 0.5 inch or greater and which measures at least 10 times the thickness or if of a thickness of 4.75 millimeters or more are of a width which exceeds 150 millimeters and measures at least twice the thickness, as currently classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States

(HTSUS) under item numbers 7210.30.0030, 7210.30.0060, 7210.41.0000, 7210.49.0030, 7210.49.0090, 7210.49.0091, 7210.49.0095, 7210.61.0000, 7210.69.0000, 7210.70.6030, 7210.70.6060, 7210.70.6090, 7210.90.1000, 7210.90.6000, 7210.90.9000, 7212.20.0000, 7212.30.1030, 7212.30.1090, 7212.30.3000, 7212.30.5000, 7212.40.1000, 7212.40.5000, 7212.50.0000, 7212.60.0000, 7215.90.1000, 7215.90.3000, 7215.90.5000, 7217.20.1500, 7217.30.1530, 7217.30.1560, 7217.90.1000, 7217.90.5030, 7217.90.5060, and 7217.90.5090. Included in the order are flat-rolled products of non-rectangular cross-section where such cross-section is achieved subsequent to the rolling process including products which have been beveled or rounded at the edges (i.e., products which have been

``worked after rolling''). Excluded from this order are flat-rolled steel products either plated or coated with tin, lead, chromium, chromium oxides, both tin and lead (``terne plate''), or both chromium and chromium oxides (``tin-free steel''), whether or not painted, varnished or coated with plastics or other nonmetallic substances in addition to the metallic coating. Also excluded from this order are clad products in straight lengths of 0.1875 inch or more in composite thickness and of a width which exceeds 150 millimeters and measures at least twice the thickness. Also excluded from this order are certain clad stainless flat-rolled products, which are three-layered corrosion- resistant carbon steel flat-rolled products less than 4.75 millimeters in composite thickness that consist of a carbon steel flat-rolled product clad on both sides with stainless steel in a 20%-60%-20% ratio.

These HTSUS item numbers are provided for convenience and customs purposes. The written descriptions remain dispositive.

Product Comparisons

In accordance with section 771(16) of the Act, we considered all

CORE products produced by the respondents, covered by the scope of the order, and sold in the home market during the POR to be foreign like products for the purpose of determining appropriate product comparisons to CORE sold in the United States.

Where there were no sales in the ordinary course of trade of identical merchandise in the home market to compare to U.S. sales, we compared U.S. sales to the next most similar foreign like product on the basis of the characteristics listed in Appendix V of the

Department's antidumping questionnaire. In making the product comparisons, we matched foreign like products based on the Appendix V physical characteristics reported by each respondent.

Normal Value Comparisons

To determine whether sales of CORE by the respondents to the United

States were made at less than NV, we compared the Export Price (EP) or

Constructed Export Price (CEP) to the NV, as described in the ``Export

Price/Constructed Export Price'' and ``Normal Value'' sections of this notice. In accordance with section 777A(d)(2) of the Act, we calculated monthly weighted-average prices for NV and

Page 46112

compared these to individual U.S. transactions.

Export Price/Constructed Export Price

For the price to the United States, we used, as appropriate, EP or

CEP, in accordance with sections 772(a) and (b) of the Act. We calculated EP when the merchandise was sold by the producer or exporter outside of the United States directly to the first unaffiliated purchaser in the United States prior to importation and when CEP was not otherwise warranted based on the facts on the record. We calculated

CEP for those sales where a person in the United States, affiliated with the foreign exporter or acting for the account of the exporter, made the sale to the first unaffiliated purchaser in the United States of the subject merchandise. We based EP and CEP on the packed prices and the applicable delivery terms to the first unaffiliated customer in, or for exportation to, the United States.

In accordance with section 772(a) of the Act, we calculated EP for a number of Union's U.S. sales because these sales were made before the date of importation and were sales directly to unaffiliated customers in the United States, and because CEP methodology was not otherwise indicated. We made deductions for movement expenses in accordance with section 772(c)(2)(A) of the Act, which included, where appropriate, foreign inland freight to the port, foreign brokerage, international freight, marine insurance, U.S. inland freight from the port to warehouse, U.S. warehouse expenses, U.S. inland freight from the warehouse to the unaffiliated customer, U.S. brokerage and handling expenses, and U.S. customs duty.

In accordance with section 772(b) of the Act, we calculated CEP where the record established that sales made by HYSCO, POSCO, and Union were made in the United States after importation. HYSCO's, POSCO's, and

Union's respective affiliates in the United States (1) took title to the subject merchandise and (2) invoiced and received payment from the unaffiliated U.S. customers for their sales of the subject merchandise to those U.S. customers. Thus, where appropriate, the Department determined that these U.S. sales should be classified as CEP transactions under section 772(b) of the Act. Where appropriate, we made deductions from the starting price for foreign inland freight to the port, foreign brokerage, international freight, marine insurance,

U.S. inland freight from the port to warehouse, U.S. warehouse expenses, U.S. inland freight from the warehouse to the unaffiliated customer, U.S. brokerage and handling expenses, U.S. customs duty, credit expenses, warranty expenses, inventory carrying costs incurred in the United States, and other indirect selling expenses in the United

States associated with economic activity in the United States. See sections 772(c)(2)(A) and 772(d)(1) of the Act. Pursuant to section 772(d)(3) of the Act, we made an adjustment for CEP profit. Where appropriate, we added interest revenue to the gross unit price.

HYSCO's Sales of Subject Merchandise that were Further Manufactured and

Sold as Non-Subject Merchandise in the United States

In its section A questionnaire response, HYSCO requested that the

Department excuse it from reporting information for certain POR sales of subject merchandise imported by its wholly owned U.S. subsidiary,

HYSCO America Company (HAC), that were further manufactured after importation and sold as non-subject merchandise in the United States, claiming that determining CEP for sales through HAC would be unreasonably burdensome.

Section 772(e) of the Act provides that when the value added in the

United States by an affiliated party is likely to exceed substantially the value of the subject merchandise, the Department shall use one of the following prices to determine CEP if there is a sufficient quantity of sales to provide a reasonable basis of comparison and the use of such sales is appropriate: (1) the price of identical subject merchandise sold by the exporter or producer to an unaffiliated person; or (2) the price of other subject merchandise sold by the exporter or producer to an unaffiliated person.

The record evidence shows that the value added by the affiliated party to the subject merchandise after importation in the United States was significantly greater than the 65 percent threshold we use in determining whether the value added in the United States by an affiliated party substantially exceeds the value of the subject merchandise. See 19 CFR 351.402(c)(2). We then considered whether there were sales of identical subject merchandise or other subject merchandise sold in sufficient quantities by the exporter or producer to an unaffiliated person that could provide a reasonable basis of comparison. In addition to the sales to HAC that were further manufactured, HYSCO also had CEP sales of similar, but not identical, subject merchandise to unaffiliated customers in the United States in back-to-back transactions through another HYSCO affiliate in the United

States, Hyundai HYSCO USA (HHU), and EP sales through an unaffiliated trading company.

The appropriate methodology for determining the CEP for sales whose value has been substantially increased through U.S. further manufacturing generally must be made on a case-by-case basis. In this instance, we find that there is a reasonable quantity of sales of subject merchandise to an unaffiliated person for comparison purposes.

See ``Calculation Memorandum for Hyundai HYSCO,'' dated August 31, 2009, the public version of which is on file in the Central Record

Unit, Room 1117, of the main Department building. Further, another reasonable method for determining CEP for the HAC CEP sales is not evident. Therefore, we relied on HYSCO's other sales of similar merchandise to unaffiliated parties in the United States as the basis for calculating CEP for HYSCO's sales through HAC, which is consistent with the two previous administrative reviews of CORE from Korea.\7\

\7\ See Certain Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products from the Republic of Korea: Notice of Final Results of the

Fourteenth Administrative Review and Partial Rescission, 74 FR 11082

(March 16, 2009) (CORE 14 Final Results); see also Certain

Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products from the Republic of

Korea: Notice of Preliminary Results and Partial Rescission of

Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 72 FR 51584, 51586

(September 10, 2007) (unchanged in CORE 13 Final Results).

Normal Value

Based on a comparison of the aggregate quantity of home market and

U.S. sales, we determined that the quantity of the foreign like product sold in the exporting country was sufficient to permit a proper comparison with the sales of the subject merchandise to the United

States, pursuant to section 773(a)(1) of the Act. Therefore, in accordance with section 773(a)(1)(B)(i) of the Act, we based NV on the price at which the foreign like product was first sold for consumption in the home market, in the usual commercial quantities and in the ordinary course of trade. We increased NV by U.S. packing costs in accordance with section 773(a)(6)(A) of the Act.

Where appropriate, we deducted inland freight from the plant to distribution warehouse, warehouse expense, inland freight from the plant/warehouse to customer, and packing, pursuant to section 773(a)(6)(B). Additionally, we made adjustments to NV, where appropriate, for credit and warranty expenses, in accordance with section 773(a)(6)(C)(iii) of the Act. Where appropriate, we added interest revenue and applied billing adjustments to the gross unit price.

For purposes of calculating NV, section 771(16) of the Act defines

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``foreign like product'' as merchandise which is either (1) identical or (2) similar to the merchandise sold in the United States. When no identical products are sold in the home market, the products which are most similar to the product sold in the United States are identified.

For the non-identical or most similar products which are identified based on the Department's product matching criteria, an adjustment is made to the NV for differences in cost attributable to differences in the actual physical differences between the products sold in the United

States and the home market. See 19 CFR 351.411 and section 773(a)(6)(C)(ii) of the Act.

Level of Trade

In accordance with section 773(a)(1)(B) of the Act, we determined

NV based on sales in the comparison market at the same level of trade

(LOT) as the EP or CEP sales, to the extent practicable. When there were no sales at the same LOT, we compared U.S. sales to comparison market sales at a different LOT.

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.412, to determine whether EP or CEP sales and NV sales were at different LOTs, we examined stages in the marketing process and selling functions along the chain of distribution between the producer and the unaffiliated (or arm's-length) customers.

If the comparison market sales are at a different LOT and the differences affect price comparability, as manifested in a pattern of consistent price differences between sales at different LOTs in the country in which NV is determined, we will make an LOT adjustment under section 773(a)(7)(A) of the Act. For CEP sales, if the NV LOT is at a more advanced stage of distribution than the CEP LOT and the data available do not provide an appropriate basis to determine an LOT adjustment, we will grant a CEP offset, as provided in section 773(a)(7)(B) of the Act. See Notice of Final Determination of Sales at

Less Than Fair Value: Certain Cut-to-Length Carbon Steel Plate from

South Africa, 62 FR 61731, 61732-33 (November 19, 1997).

We did not make an LOT adjustment under 19 CFR 351.412(e) because, there was only one home market LOT for each respondent and we were unable to identify a pattern of consistent price differences attributable to differences in LOTs. See 19 CFR 351.412(d). Under 19

CFR 351.412(f), we are preliminarily granting a CEP offset for HYSCO,

POSCO, and Union because the NV sales for each company are at a more advanced LOT than the LOT for the U.S. CEP sales.

For a detailed description of our LOT methodology and a summary of company-specific LOT findings for these preliminary results, see the

August 31, 2009, ``Calculation Memorandum for Hyundai HYSCO,''

``Calculation Memorandum for Pohang Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. (POSCO) and

Pohang Coated Steel Co., Ltd. (POCOS) (collectively, POSCO),'' and

``Calculation Memorandum for Union Steel Manufacturing Co., Ltd.'' the public versions of which are on file in the Central Records Unit, Room 1117 of the main Department building.

Cost of Production Analysis

In the most recently completed segment of the proceeding in which

HYSCO, POSCO, and Union participated, the Department found and disregarded sales that failed the cost test for each of these companies. Therefore, for this review, the Department has reasonable grounds to believe or suspect that sales of the foreign like products under consideration for the determination of NV may have been made at prices below the COP as provided by section 773(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the

Act. Pursuant to section 773(b)(1) of the Act, the Department conducted a COP investigation of sales in the home market by HYSCO, POSCO and

Union.

In accordance with section 773(b)(3) of the Act, the Department calculated company-specific COPs for HYSCO, POSCO, and Union based on the sum of each respondent's cost of materials and fabrication employed in producing the foreign like product, plus amounts for selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A), and packing costs. We relied on the COP data as submitted by HYSCO, POSCO, and Union, except for POSCO, where we excluded gains and losses related to disposition and valuation of trading securities from the calculation of financial expense ratio. See the August 31, 2009, ``Cost of Production and

Constructed Value Calculation Adjustments for the Preliminary Results -

Pohang Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. and Pohang Coated Steel Co. Ltd.

(collectively, ``POSCO'').''

In determining whether home market sales had been made at prices below the COP, as required under sections 773(b)(1) of the Act, we compared the model-specific, weighted-average COPs to home market sales prices of the foreign like product. For this comparison, the Department adjusted the reported home market sales prices (not including value added tax (VAT)) by applying billing adjustments, adding interest revenue, and deducting movement charges, discounts, and rebates, as appropriate.

To determine whether to disregard home market sales made at prices below the COP, the Department examined whether such sales were made (1) within an extended period of time, in substantial quantities, and (2) at prices which did not permit the recovery of all costs within a reasonable period of time in the normal course of trade, in accordance with sections 773(b)(1)(A) and (B) of the Act.

Where 20 percent or more of a respondent's sales of a given product during the POR were at prices less than the COP, we determined that sales of that model were made in substantial quantities within an extended period of time, in accordance with sections 773(b)(2)(B) and

(C) of the Act. Because the Department compared prices to average COPs in the POR, the Department has also determined that the below-cost prices did not permit the recovery of costs within a reasonable period of time, in accordance with section 773(b)(1)(B) of the Act. In such cases, we disregarded the below-cost sales in accordance with section 773(b)(1) of the Act.

We tested and identified below-cost home market sales for HYSCO,

POSCO, and Union. For each company we disregarded individual below-cost sales of a given product and used the remaining sales as the basis for determining NV, in accordance with section 773(b)(1) of the Act. See the August 31, 2009, ``Calculation Memorandum for Hyundai HYSCO,''

``Calculation Memorandum for Pohang Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. (POSCO) and

Pohang Coated Steel Co., Ltd. (POCOS) (collectively, POSCO),'' and

``Calculation Memorandum for Union Steel Manufacturing Co., Ltd.''

Arm's-Length Sales

HYSCO and POSCO also reported that they made sales in the home market to affiliated parties. The Department calculates NV based on a sale to an affiliated party only if it is satisfied that the price to the affiliated party is comparable to the price at which sales are made to parties not affiliated with the producer or exporter, i.e., sales at arm's length. See 19 CFR 351.403(c).

To test whether these sales were made at arm's length, we compared the reported home market prices of sales to affiliated and unaffiliated customers with applied billing adjustment, including interest revenue and net of all movement charges, direct selling expenses, discounts, rebates, and packing. In accordance with the Department's current practice, if the

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prices charged to an affiliated party were, on average, between 98 and 102 percent of the prices charged to unaffiliated parties for merchandise identical or most similar to that sold to the affiliated party, we considered the sales to be at arm's-length prices. See Notice of Preliminary Results and Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty

Administrative: Ninth Administrative Review of the Antidumping Duty

Order on Certain Pasta from Italy, 71 FR 45017, 45020 (August 8, 2006)

(unchanged in Notice of Final Results of the Ninth Administrative

Review of the Antidumping Duty Order on Certain Pasta from Italy, 72 FR 7011 (February 14, 2007)); 19 CFR 351.403(c). Conversely, where we found that the sales to an affiliated party did not pass the arm's- length test, then all sales to that affiliated party have been excluded from the NV calculation. See Antidumping Proceedings: Affiliated Party

Sales in the Ordinary Course of Trade, 67 FR 69186, 69187 (November 15, 2002); see also August 31, 2009, ``Calculation Memorandum for Hyundai

HYSCO,'' ``Calculation Memorandum for Pohang Iron & Steel Co., Ltd.

(POSCO) and Pohang Coated Steel Co., Ltd. (POCOS) (collectively,

POSCO),'' and ``Calculation Memorandum for Union Steel Manufacturing

Co., Ltd.''

Currency Conversion

For purposes of these preliminary results, we made currency conversions in accordance with section 773A(a) of the Act, based on the official exchange rates published by the Federal Reserve Bank.

Preliminary Results of the Review

As a result of this review, we preliminarily find that the following weighted-average dumping margins exist:

Manufacturer/Exporter

Percent Margin

HYSCO............................................... 0.43 (de minimis)

POSCO............................................... 0.16 (de minimis)

Union...............................................

3.94

Review-Specific Average Rate Applicable to the

3.94

Following Companies:\8\ LG Chem, Haewon, and Dongbu

\8\ This rate is based on the margins calculated for those companies that were selected for individual review, excluding de minimis margins or margins based entirely on adverse facts available.

Public Comment

The Department will disclose calculations performed within five days of the date of publication of this notice to the parties to this proceeding in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b). Interested parties may submit case briefs no later than 30 days after the date of publication of these preliminary results of review. See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(ii).

Rebuttal briefs are limited to issues raised in the case briefs and may be filed no later than five days after the time limit for filing the case briefs. See 19 CFR 351.309(d). Parties submitting arguments in this proceeding are requested to submit with the argument: 1) a statement of the issue, 2) a brief summary of the argument, and 3) a table of authorities, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.309(d)(2). Further, parties submitting case and/or rebuttal briefs are requested to provide the Department with an additional electronic copy of the public version of any such comments on a computer diskette. Case and rebuttal briefs must be served on interested parties in accordance with 19 CFR 351.303(f).

An interested party may request a hearing within 30 days of publication of these preliminary results. See 19 CFR 351.310(c). Any hearing, if requested, ordinarily will be held two days after the due date of the rebuttal briefs in accordance with 19 CFR 351.310(d)(1).

The Department will issue the final results of this administrative review, which will include the results of its analysis of issues raised in any such comments, or at a hearing, if requested, within 120 days of publication of these preliminary results, unless extended. See section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.213(h).

Assessment Rate

Upon completion of the final results of this administrative review, the Department shall determine, and CBP shall assess, antidumping duties on all appropriate entries. Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.212(b)(1), the Department will calculate importer-specific assessment rates for each respondent based on the ratio of the total amount of antidumping duties calculated for the examined sales to the total entered value of those sales. Where the respondent did not report the entered value for

U.S. sales, we have calculated importer-specific assessment rates for the merchandise in question by aggregating the dumping margins calculated for all U.S. sales to each importer and dividing this amount by the total quantity of those sales. To determine whether the duty assessment rates were de minimis, in accordance with the requirement set forth in 19 CFR 351.106(c)(2), we calculated importer-specific ad valorem rates based on the estimated entered value. Where the assessment rate is above de minimis, we will instruct CBP to assess duties on all entries of subject merchandise by that importer. Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.106(c)(2), we will instruct CBP to liquidate without regard to antidumping duties any entries for which the assessment rate is de minimis (i.e., less than 0.50 percent). The Department intends to issue assessment instructions directly to CBP 15 days after publication of the final results of this review.

The Department clarified its ``automatic assessment'' regulation on

May 6, 2003. See Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings:

Assessment of Antidumping Duties, 68 FR 23954 (May 6, 2003). This clarification will apply to entries of subject merchandise during the

POR produced by the respondents subject to this review for which the reviewed companies did not know that the merchandise which it sold to an intermediary (e.g. a reseller, trading company, or exporter) was destined for the United States. In such instances, we will instruct CBP to liquidate unreviewed entries at the all-others rate if there is no rate for the intermediary involved in the transaction. For a full discussion of this clarification, see id.

Cash Deposit Requirements

The following deposit rates will be effective upon publication of the final results of this administrative review for all shipments of

CORE from Korea entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the publication date, as provided by section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act: (1) The cash deposit rates for the companies listed above will be the rates established in the final results of this review, except if the rate is less than 0.5 percent and, therefore, de minimis, the cash deposit will be zero; (2) for previously reviewed or investigated companies not listed above, the cash deposit rate will continue to be the company-specific rate published for the most recent final results in which that manufacturer or exporter participated; (3) if the exporter is not a firm covered in this review, a prior review, or the original less-than-fair-value (LTFV) investigation, but the manufacturer is, the cash deposit rate will be the rate established for the most recent final results for the manufacturer of the merchandise; and (4) if neither the exporter nor the manufacturer is a firm covered in this or any previous review conducted by the Department, the cash deposit rate will be 17.70 percent, the all-others rate established in the LTFV. See Orders on Certain Steel from Korea. These cash deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further notice.

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Notification to Importers

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

These preliminary results of review are issued and published in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

Dated: August 31, 2009.

Ronald K. Lorentzen,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.

FR Doc. E9-21594 Filed 9-4-09; 8:45 am

BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S

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