G/L/1224  
G/SG/N/12/KOR/3  
 
6 April 2018  
(18-2108) Page: 1/2 
Council for Trade in Goods  
Committee on Safeguards  Original: English  
 
 IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATI ON UNDER ARTICLE 12. 5 OF THE AGREEMENT  
ON SAFEGUARDS TO THE  COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN  GOODS OF  
PROPOSED SUSPENSION OF CONCESSIONS AND O THER  
OBLIGATIONS REFERRED  TO IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF   
ARTICLE 8 OF THE AGR EEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS  
REPUBLIC OF KOREA 
The following communication, dated 5  April 2018, has been received from the Permanent Mission 
of the Republic of Korea.  
 
_______________  
 
 
Pursuant to Article 12.5 of the Agreement on Safeguards, and in accordance with the agreed 
format for notificat ions, as contained in G/SG/1 dated 1 July 1996, the Republic of Korea provides 
the immediate notification to the Council for Trade in Goods of proposed suspension of concessions 
and other obligations referred to in paragraph 2 of Article 8 of the Agreement  on Safeguards.  
 
1. Which Member is proposing suspension of concessions and other obligations 
referred to in Article 8.2?  
 
The Republic of Korea.  
 
2. Specify the measure, the product subject to the measure, the WTO document that 
notified the safeguard meas ure, and the Member imposing the measure in relation to 
which the Member is proposing suspension of concessions and other obligations referred 
to in Article 8.2  
 
The measure imposed by the United States consists of an increase in duty and imposition of a 
tariff rate quota  on imports of certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells  (whether or not partially 
or fully assembled into other products) for a period of four years and one day starting 
7 February  2018.  
 
It was notified in WTO document G/SG/N/6/USA/11 ; G/SG/N/6/USA/11/Suppl.1 ; 
G/SG/N/8/USA/9 ; G/SG/N/8/USA/9/Suppl.1 ; G/SG/N/8/USA/9/Suppl.2 ; 
G/SG/N/8/USA/9/Suppl.3 ; and G/SG/N/8/USA/9/Suppl.4 -G/SG/N/10/USA/7 -G/SG/N/11/USA/6 . 
 
3. Describe the proposed suspension of concessions and other obli gations referred to 
in Article  8.2, and the proposed date from which it will come into effect  
 
The Republic of Korea  notifies the Council for Trade in Goods that it has decided to suspend 
substantially equivalent concessions and other obligations under the  General Agreement on Tariffs 
and Trade 1994 to the trade of the United States . The US  measure affects $1,099.906 million  of 
annual imports from Korea as of year 2017, to which the application of the duties imposed by the 
United States, results in $329.972  million  of duty to be collected.  The details of the calculation of 
the effects of the US measure are provided in the table below.  The further details of the 
suspension of concessions and other obligations will be provided to the Council for Trade in Goods  
before the ir application.  The application of the suspension of concessions and other obligations will 
come into effect on 7 February 20 21 or following the date of a decision from the WTO Dispute 
Settlement Body that the safeguard measure imposed by the United States  is incompatible with G/L/1224 • G/SG/N/12/KOR/3  
 
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  the WTO Agreements, whichever is earlie r. The suspension of concessions  and other obligations 
will continue to apply  until the United States ' safeguard measure is lifted.  
 
Table  
 Korea 's exports  
(USD)  US Increase in duty  Duty to be 
collected  
(USD)  
CSPV Modules  1,094,947,849  30% 328,484,355  
CSPV Cells  4,958,291  0%(within quota)  0 
30%(out of quota)  1,487,487  
Total 1,099,906,140  In case all Korean CSPV Cells are 
within the quota  328,484,355  
In case all Korean CSPV Cells are out 
of the quota  329,971,842  
* Data: USITC  
* Note: The applied product codes, HTSUS, are as follows:  
 - CSPV modules : 8541.40.6020, 8501.31.80, 8501.61.00, 8507.20.80  
 - CSPV cells: 8541.40.6030  
 
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