South Korea was to impose anti-dumping duties on white portland cement imported from Egypt.
After a preliminary examination, the Korea Trade Commission (KTC) decided to recommend to the finance ministry the levying of provisional duties of 72.23 percent on white cement from Egypt to prevent potential damage from the imports to local industry while it carries out an additional probe.
The probe came as domestic cement producer Union Corp. filed a complaint in March against Egypt's Royal El Minya Cement Co. and Albatros International Cement Trading Ltd., complaining that their cheap imports have negatively affected its business and the cement industry in South Korea.
The finance ministry is supposed to make a decision by October, and the KTC, which is under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, will conduct an additional probe for a final determination of tariff rates.
Union is South Korea's only manufacturer of white portland cement, which is used for general construction and decoration.
Egyptian white cement accounted for 10 percent, or 10,000 tons, of the South Korean market, in 2022, according to the ministry.
