Report Period: April 7 – 14, 2026

Coverage: South Korea | Japan

📌 3 Core Insights

📌 Korea recommends final AD duties of 28.16-33.10% on Chinese and Japanese HRC – five-year term – 📈 The Korea Trade Commission (KTC) issued final affirmative determination, recommending five-year anti-dumping duties. Price undertakings approved for six Chinese and three Japanese exporters, allowing duty‑free access for those who meet minimum price levels. [8†L5-L7][12†L20-L21]
📌 Japan moves to expand anti-dumping coverage – third-country transshipment legislation under consideration – ⚠️ Japan‘s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is seeking to include steel originating from China but shipped via third countries, aiming to close circumvention loopholes. Legislation is targeted for FY2026 tax reform. [15†L3-L6][26†L18-L21]
📌 POSCO‘s Gwangyang 2.5 million-tonne EAF on track for June 2026 commissioning – scrap storage expansion underway – 📈 The new electric arc furnace will increase scrap demand, with external scrap purchases potentially reaching 2 million tonnes in 2026. [19†L6-L8][19†L27-L28]

💡 What You Get in the Full Report

For Procurement Managers (Buyers)

CFR Busan price benchmarks for HRC, CRC, rebar, with AD duty / price undertaking breakdowns
KTC‘s final AD determination – which Chinese/Japanese exporters have duty‑free price undertakings
Japanese cold‑rolled stainless steel and HDG anti‑dumping investigation timelines
Japanese anti‑circumvention legislation progress – how third‑country transshipment will be restricted
Busan port congestion data (average waiting vessels 5.4 → 12.9 ships)
USD/KRW and USD/JPY exchange rate tracking with hedging advice

For Export Sales Managers (Sellers)

Korean HRC price undertaking application guidance – how to avoid 28-33% AD duties
Korean shipbuilding demand – thick plate opportunities from HD Hyundai, Samsung Heavy, Hanwha Ocean
Japanese AD probe status – pause CRC/HDG quotes until preliminary determinations
POSCO‘s new EAF – scrap demand and decarbonisation roadmap
EU CBAM carbon cost impact on Korean steel exports (3.9 million tonnes to EU)

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📧 amy@amyinsights.com
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