[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 10, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8887-8889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-02748]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-580-909]


Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel Standard, Line, and Pressure Pipe 
From the Republic of Korea: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of 
Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of Final Determination, and 
Extension of Provisional Measures

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines 
that seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe 
(seamless pipe) from the Republic of Korea (Korea) is being, or is 
likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). 
The period of investigation is July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020. 
Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary 
determination.

DATES: Applicable February 10, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joshua DeMoss, AD/CVD Operations 
Office VI, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20230, telephone: (202) 482-3362.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 
733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce 
published the notice of initiation of this investigation on August 4, 
2020.\1\ On November 19, 2020, Commerce postponed the preliminary 
determination of this investigation and the revised deadline is now 
February 3, 2021.\2\ For a complete description of the events that 
followed the initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum.\3\ A list of topics included in the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix II to this notice. The 
Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is made 
available to the public 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 Preliminary Decision Memorandum can 
be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed 
and the electronic versions of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum are 
identical in content.
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    \1\ See Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel Standard, Line, and 
Pressure Pipe from the Czech Republic, the Republic of Korea, the 
Russian Federation, and Ukraine: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value 
Investigations, 85 FR 47176 (August 4, 2020) (Initiation Notice).
    \2\ See Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel Standard, Line, and 
Pressure Pipe from the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, 
and Ukraine: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the Less-
Than-Fair-Value Investigations, 85 FR 73687 (November 19, 2020).
    \3\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary 
Affirmative Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation 
of Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel Standard, Line, and Pressure Pipe 
from the Republic of Korea,'' dated concurrently with, and hereby 
adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum).
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Scope of the Investigation

    The products covered by this investigation are seamless pipe from 
Korea. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, 
see Appendix I.

Scope Comments

    In accordance with the preamble to Commerce's regulations, the 
Initiation Notice set aside a period of time for parties to raise 
issues regarding product coverage (i.e., scope). Certain interested 
parties commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in 
the Initiation Notice.\4\ For a summary of the product coverage 
comments and rebuttal responses submitted to the record for this 
preliminary determination, and accompanying discussion and analysis of 
all comments timely received, see the Preliminary Scope Decision 
Memorandum.\5\ Commerce is preliminarily modifying the scope language 
as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. See the revised scope in 
Appendix I to this notice.
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    \4\ See Initiation Notice.
    \5\ See Memorandum, ``Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Investigations of Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel Standard, Line, 
and Pressure Pipe from the Czech Republic, the Republic of Korea, 
the Russian Federation, and Ukraine: Preliminary Scope Decision 
Memorandum,'' dated January 13, 2021 (Preliminary Scope Decision 
Memorandum).
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    The deadline to submit scope case briefs was established in the 
Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum.\6\ There will be no further 
opportunity for comments on scope-related issues.
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    \6\ Case briefs, other written comments, and rebuttal briefs 
submitted in response to this preliminary LTFV determination should 
not include scope-related issues. See Preliminary Scope Decision 
Memorandum; and ``Public Comment'' section of this notice. The 
deadline for case briefs on scope-related issues is no later than 30 
days after the issuance of Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum.
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Methodology

    Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with 
section 731 of the Act. Commerce has calculated export price in 
accordance with section 772 of the Act. Commerce has calculated normal 
value in accordance with section 773 of the Act. For a full description 
of the methodology underlying our preliminary determination, see the 
Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

All-Others Rate

    Sections 733(d)(1)(ii) and 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provide that, in 
the preliminary determination, Commerce shall determine an estimated 
all-others rate for all exporters and producers not individually 
examined. This rate shall be an amount equal to the weighted average of 
the estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for 
exporters and producers individually investigated, excluding any zero 
and de minimis margins, and any margins determined entirely under 
section 776 of the Act.
    Commerce calculated an individual estimated weighted-average 
dumping margin for ILJIN, the only individually examined exporter/
producer in this investigation. Because the only individually 
calculated dumping margin is not zero, de minimis, or based entirely on 
facts otherwise available, the estimated weighted-average dumping 
margin calculated for ILJIN is the margin preliminarily assigned to all 
other producers and exporters, pursuant to section 735(c)(5)(A) of the 
Act.

Preliminary Determination

    Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated 
weighted-average dumping margins exist:

[[Page 8888]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Estimated
                                                              weighted-
                                                               average
                     Exporter/producer                         dumping
                                                                margin
                                                              (percent)
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ILJIN Steel Corporation....................................         4.52
All Others.................................................         4.52
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Suspension of Liquidation

    In accordance with section 733(d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will 
direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation 
of entries of subject merchandise, as described in Appendix I, entered, 
or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
    Further, pursuant to section 733(d)(1)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.205(d), Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit for 
estimated antidumping duties equal to the estimated weighted-average 
dumping margin or the estimated all-others rate, as follows: (1) The 
cash deposit rate for the respondent listed above will be equal to the 
company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping margin determined 
in this preliminary determination; (2) if the exporter is not a 
respondent identified above, but the producer is, then the cash deposit 
rate will be equal to the company-specific estimated weighted-average 
dumping margin established for that producer of the subject 
merchandise; and (3) the cash deposit rate for all other producers and 
exporters will be equal to the all-others estimated weighted-average 
dumping margin. These suspension of liquidation instructions will 
remain in effect until further notice.

Disclosure

    Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis 
performed to interested parties in this preliminary determination 
within five days of any 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).

Verification

    As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to 
verify the information relied upon in making its final determination. 
Normally, Commerce verifies information using standard procedures, 
including an on-site examination of original accounting, financial, and 
sales documentation. However, due to current travel restrictions in 
response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Commerce is unable to conduct 
on-site verification in this investigation. Accordingly, we intend to 
verify the information relied upon in making the final determination 
through alternative means in lieu of an on-site verification.

Public Comment

    Case briefs or other written comments on non-scope issues may be 
submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance. A 
timeline for the submission of case briefs and written comments will be 
provided to interested parties at a later date. Rebuttal briefs, 
limited to issues raised in the case briefs, may be submitted no later 
than seven days after the deadline date for case briefs.\7\ Note that 
Commerce has modified certain of its requirements for serving documents 
containing business proprietary information until further notice.\8\ 
Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), parties who submit case 
briefs or rebuttal briefs in this investigation are encouraged to 
submit with each argument: (1) A statement of the issue; (2) a brief 
summary of the argument; and (3) a table of authorities.
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    \7\ See 19 CFR 351.309; see also 19 CFR 351.303 (for general 
filing requirements); Temporary Rule Modifying AD/CVD Service 
Requirements Due to COVID-19, 85 FR 17006 (March 26, 2020); and 
Temporary Rule Modifying AD/CVD Service Requirements Due to COVID-
19; Extension of Effective Period, 85 FR 41363 (July 10, 2020) 
(Extension of Temporary Rule).
    \8\ See Extension of Temporary Rule.
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    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to 
request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal 
briefs, must submit a request to the Assistant Secretary for 
Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, within 30 days 
after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain: 
(1) The party's name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of 
participants and whether any participant is a foreign national; and (3) 
a list of the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is 
made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a time and date to be 
determined. Parties should confirm by telephone the date, time, and 
location of the hearing two days before the scheduled date.

Postponement of Final Determination and Extension of Provisional 
Measures

    Section 735(a)(2) of the Act provides that a final determination 
may be postponed until not later than 135 days after the date of the 
publication of the preliminary determination if, in the event of an 
affirmative preliminary determination, a request for such postponement 
is made by exporters who account for a significant proportion of 
exports of the subject merchandise, or in the event of a negative 
preliminary determination, a request for such postponement is made by 
the petitioner. Section 351.210(e)(2) of Commerce's regulations 
requires that a request by the exporters for postponement of the final 
determination be accompanied by a request for extension of provisional 
measures from a four-month period to a period not more than six months 
in duration.
    On January 8, 2021, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.210(e), ILJIN requested 
that Commerce postpone the final determination and that provisional 
measures be extended to a period not to exceed six months.\9\ In 
accordance with section 735(a)(2)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.210(b)(2)(ii), because: (1) The preliminary determination is 
affirmative; (2) the requesting exporter accounts for a significant 
proportion of exports of the subject merchandise; and (3) no compelling 
reasons for denial exist, Commerce is postponing the final 
determination and extending the provisional measures from a four-month 
period to a period not greater than six months. Accordingly, Commerce 
will make its final determination no later than 135 days after the date 
of publication of this preliminary determination, pursuant to section 
735(a)(2) of the Act.
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    \9\ See ILJIN's Letter, ``Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel 
Standard, Line, and Pressure Pipe from the Republic of Korea: 
Request to Extend the Deadline for the Final Determination,'' dated 
January 8, 2021.
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International Trade Commission Notification

    In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify 
the International Trade Commission (ITC) of our affirmative preliminary 
determination. If our final determination is affirmative, the ITC will 
determine before the later of 120 days after the date of this 
preliminary determination or 45 days after our final determination 
whether these imports are materially injuring, or threaten material 
injury to, the U.S. industry.

Notification to Interested Parties

    This determination is issued and published in accordance with 
sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(c).


[[Page 8889]]


    Dated: February 3, 2021.
James Maeder,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Operations.

Appendix I

Scope of the Investigation

    The merchandise covered by the scope of this investigation is 
seamless carbon and alloy steel (other than stainless steel) pipes 
and redraw hollows, less than or equal to 16 inches (406.4 mm) in 
nominal outside diameter, regardless of wall-thickness, 
manufacturing process (e.g., hot finished or cold-drawn), end finish 
(e.g., plain end, beveled end, upset end, threaded, or threaded and 
coupled), or surface finish (e.g., bare, lacquered or coated). 
Redraw hollows are any unfinished carbon or alloy steel (other than 
stainless steel) pipe or ``hollow profiles'' suitable for cold 
finishing operations, such as cold drawing, to meet the American 
Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or American Petroleum 
Institute (API) specifications referenced below, or comparable 
specifications. Specifically included within the scope are seamless 
carbon and alloy steel (other than stainless steel) standard, line, 
and pressure pipes produced to the ASTM A-53, ASTM A-106, ASTM A-
333, ASTM A-334, ASTM A-589, ASTM A-795, ASTM A-1024, and the API 51 
specifications, or comparable specifications, and meeting the 
physical parameters described above, regardless of application, with 
the exception of the exclusions discussed below.
    Specifically excluded from the scope of the investigation are: 
(1) All pipes meeting aerospace, hydraulic, and bearing tubing 
specifications, including pipe produced to the ASTM A-822 standard; 
(2) all pipes meeting the chemical requirements of ASTM A-335, 
whether finished or unfinished; and (3) unattached couplings. Also 
excluded from the scope of the investigation are (1) all mechanical, 
boiler, condenser and heat exchange tubing, except when such 
products conform to the dimensional requirements, i.e., outside 
diameter and wall thickness, of ASTM A53, ASTM A-106 or API 51 
specifications. Also excluded from the scope of the investigation 
are: (1) oil country tubular goods consisting of drill pipe, casing, 
tubing and coupling stock; (2) all pipes meeting the chemical 
requirements of ASTM A-335 regardless of their conformity to the 
dimensional requirements of ASTM A-53, ASTM A-106 or API 5L; and (3) 
the exclusion for ASTM A335 applies to pipes meeting the comparable 
specifications GOST 550-75.
    Subject seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe are normally 
entered under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
(HTSUS) subheadings 7304.19.1020, 7304.19.1030, 7304.19.1045, 
7304.19.1060, 7304.19.5020, 7304.19.5050, 7304.31.6050, 
7304.39.0016, 7304.39.0020, 7304.39.0024, 7304.39.0028, 
7304.39.0032, 7304.39.0036, 7304.39.0040, 7304.39.0044, 
7304.39.0048, 7304.39.0052, 7304.39.0056, 7304.39.0062, 
7304.39.0068, 7304.39.0072, 7304.51.5005, 7304.51.5060, 
7304.59.6000, 7304.59.8010, 7304.59.8015, 7304.59.8020, 
7304.59.8025, 7304.59.8030, 7304.59.8035, 7304.59.8040, 
7304.59.8045, 7304.59.8050, 7304.59.8055, 7304.59.8060, 
7304.59.8065, and 7304.59.8070. The HTSUS subheadings and 
specifications are provided for convenience and customs purposes; 
the written description of the scope is dispositive.

Appendix II

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Period of Investigation
IV. Scope of Investigation
V. Particular Market Situation Allegation
VI. Discussion of the Methodology
VII. Currency Conversion
VIII. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2021-02748 Filed 2-9-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P