Report Date: June 11, 2026 | Coverage: South Korea & Japan
This free sample offers a curated look at this week’s most market‑moving events and data. Subscribers receive the full report, including complete price tables for all eight steel products, the expanded anti‑dumping alternative‑sourcing matrix with specification details, landed‑cost sensitivity reference, a comprehensive week‑on‑week deep dive, and the enhanced market structure section — everything you need to navigate the new trade architecture.
📌 Sample Core Insights (Excerpt)
📌 Japan Launches Sweeping HRC/CRC Anti‑Dumping Probe — ⚠️
On June 1, Japan initiated anti‑dumping investigations on hot‑rolled and cold‑rolled coil from China, South Korea, and Taiwan, covering 21 tariff codes. Four major domestic mills — Nippon Steel, JFE, Kobe Steel, and Nakayama — filed the complaint, alleging prices 50% below normal. The probe period covers April 2025 to March 2026, with a preliminary determination possible within 6–9 months. [METI, June 1]
📌 Busan Port Triple Strike Paralyses Logistics — 🔴
Simultaneous strikes by rail workers, truckers, and bunker fuel operators have crippled Busan. Container capacity is down approximately 33%, and throughput was reported at “only a quarter” of normal levels. POSCO suspended production at its Pohang plant because product transport became impossible. Shipments face minimum 1–2 week delays. [WorldPorts, June 3–10]
📌 Korea Coated CRC Provisional AD Takes Effect June 12 — ⚠️
Duties of 22.34–33.67% on Chinese GI, GL, and ZAM coated steel will be enforced for four months starting tomorrow. Electro‑galvanized (EG) and galvannealed (GA) products remain entirely duty‑free. Chinese coated sheet exports to Korea totalled approximately 1.48 million tonnes in 2025. [KCS, June 2]
📌 China Export Prices Mixed: HRC Offers Jump, But CRC/HDG Fall — ↕
Mills raised HRC offer levels sharply to **$505–540/t FOB**, attempting to recover from last week’s dip below $500/t. However, CRC and HDG prices fell $10–25/t, indicating weak downstream demand. The wide bid‑ask spread suggests that higher HRC quotes are not yet finding transaction volume. [Mysteel, SMM, June 5–8]
💰 Sample Price & Change Comparison (Partial View)
| Product | Market | This Week (June 8–10) | WoW Change (vs May 27–Jun 3) | Primary Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HRC (SS400) | China FOB | $505–540/t ↕ (wide range) | Midpoint +$23/t; thin trading | Mills push higher; downstream weak |
| Billet (150mm) | China FOB | $470–475/t ▲ | +$2–3/t | Korean pre‑EAF buying |
| CRC (SPCC 1.0mm) | China FOB | $530–550/t ▼ | –$20–25/t | Weak downstream demand |
| HRC (domestic) | South Korea | ~$820–870/t ▲ | AD‑protected; steady | AD wall, supply tightness |
| H2 Scrap (Kanto tender) | Japan | ¥54,506/t FAS ▼ | –¥96/t (–0.2%) | First decline in 10 months |
| KRW/USD | Seoul FX | 1,510–1,520 ▼ | –0.7% WoW | Dovish BOK, dollar strength |
| BDI | Global | ~2,900 ▼ | Trending down | Hormuz easing, but Busan strike overshadows |
Subscribers receive complete tables for all eight products across China, Korea, and Japan, with precise weekly, monthly, and yearly changes.
🛡️ Sample Policy & Supply Chain Update (Excerpt)
Japan Erects Its Own AD Wall
Japan’s new HRC/CRC anti‑dumping investigation is the most significant trade policy escalation since Korea’s HRC duties were finalised. If provisional duties follow within 6–9 months, the Japanese flat steel import market — one of Asia’s largest — could be severely restricted for Chinese, Korean, and Taiwanese suppliers. Combined with Korea’s now‑permanent HRC duties and imminent coated steel barriers, Northeast Asia’s flat steel trade architecture is being fundamentally redrawn.
Busan Strike Creates Immediate Logistics Crisis
The simultaneous work stoppages at Busan have created the worst port disruption in years. POSCO’s production suspension at Pohang illustrates the severity: even Korea’s largest steelmaker cannot move product. Importers must immediately redirect cargo to Gwangyang or Incheon and add two weeks to delivery schedules. The full report includes a port‑by‑port congestion assessment and recommended routing alternatives.
Coated Steel Deadline Is Tomorrow
The provisional anti‑dumping duties on Chinese GI, GL, and ZAM take effect June 12. Buyers who have not already diversified their coated steel supply chains face an immediate cost increase of $120–200/t. The duty‑free status of EG and GA products provides a narrow but actionable alternative for operations that can adjust their specifications.
💡 Sample Actionable Advice (Preview)
| For Procurement Managers | For Export Sales Managers |
|---|---|
| ✅ Press Chinese mills for HRC near $500/t FOB. The wide offer range and weak downstream products give buyers leverage. | ✅ Accept HRC deals at $500–510/t FOB. Do not chase the rally above $515 — thin trading makes it fragile. |
| ⚠️ Secure coated CRC supply from non‑Chinese sources today. The June 12 AD deadline is tomorrow; switch to EG/GA if possible. | ⚠️ Redirect GI/GL/ZAM volumes out of Korea immediately. Prioritise EG/GA for Korean customers who can switch specs. |
The full report contains six tailored action items for each audience, with specific rationales, target markets, and implementation timelines.
📥 Get the Full Report
This free sample is only a fraction of the intelligence delivered each week. Subscribers to the Northeast Asia Steel Weekly Report receive:
- 8 product price tables (billet, rebar, HRC, CRC, HDG, carbon steel pipe, stainless steel, CRGO) with FOB, domestic, and import parity data for China, Korea, and Japan.
- Week‑on‑week and month‑on‑month comparisons to track market direction with precision.
- Import viability assessments with landed cost calculations under Korea’s price undertaking mechanism vs. full AD duties — and now Japan’s new AD investigations.
- Critical Dates & Deadlines calendar — a centralized timeline of all upcoming policy, trade, and production events.
- Busan Strike Impact Matrix — port‑by‑port congestion assessment, alternative routing options, and estimated delay times.
- Expanded AD Alternative‑Sourcing Matrix — which products are blocked, which remain duty‑free, and exactly which mills can supply which grades under which standards.
- Landed‑Cost Sensitivity Reference — how FOB, freight, FX, and war risk premium moves impact your all‑in cost.
- Raw‑Material Substitution Tracker — the scrap‑billet cost spread, POSCO EAF ramp‑up impact, and Kanto tender trends.
- Market structure deep dive by product: market size, growth drivers, local competitiveness, import dependency, and competitive positioning.
- Forward‑looking price forecast for the coming week with three supporting arguments and one key downside risk.
- Full week‑on‑week deep dive analysis across seven dimensions: price trends, policy, FX, logistics, sentiment, new data, and overall trajectory.
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Contact Amy directly at amy@amyinsights.com