Overview

The Korea Customs Service (“KCS”) announced that, beginning in March 2026, it will implement a comprehensive periodic anti-dumping review system covering all products currently subject to anti-dumping duties.

Under the new framework, all 28 categories of products subject to anti-dumping measures—including steel products, PET film, float glass, and plywood—will be reviewed on a recurring four-year cycle. The initiative reflects the KCS’s broader effort to strengthen enforcement of trade remedy measures by replacing a largely reactive, case-driven approach with a structured and continuous monitoring regime.

 

Background and Purpose

Anti-dumping duties are imposed when imported goods are sold at prices below their normal value and such imports cause material injury, threaten material injury, or materially retard the establishment of a domestic industry.1

Historically, anti-dumping enforcement in Korea has focused primarily on the initial imposition of duties and investigations triggered by specific allegations or customs enforcement initiatives. Post-imposition reviews were generally conducted on an ad hoc basis, often in response to particular transactions, industries, or suspected violations.

However, rising global overcapacity, increasing trade protectionism, and the growing complexity of international supply chains have heightened concerns regarding the circumvention of anti-dumping measures. In particular, Korean authorities have observed increasing risks associated with:

  • Misclassification of imported goods;
  • False declarations regarding suppliers or countries of origin;
  • Transshipment through third countries;
  • Manipulation of customs valuation; and
  • Other structures designed to avoid anti-dumping duties.

Against this backdrop, the KCS has introduced a periodic review framework designed to monitor compliance more systematically and strengthen enforcement capabilities.

 

Key Features of the New Review System

Under the new regime, the KCS will annually identify high-priority products and importers for review through a risk-based analysis of:

  • Import declaration data;
  • Import price trends;
  • Supplier information;
  • Changes in country-of-origin patterns;
  • Customs valuation data; and
  • Historical import activity.

Selected companies will be subject to comprehensive customs examinations covering a broad range of compliance matters, including:

  • Customs valuation;
  • Tariff classification;
  • Origin verification;
  • Import requirements;
  • Duty refunds; and
  • Foreign exchange transaction records.

To support implementation, the KCS has established dedicated anti-dumping investigation teams at major customs offices in Incheon, Seoul, Busan, and Daegu.

In addition, the agency is introducing an AI-driven monitoring system that analyzes import statistics, pricing data, customs filings, and foreign exchange information to identify unusual patterns that may indicate potential circumvention. Examples of risk indicators include:

  • Sudden declines in import prices;
  • Significant increases in imports from particular countries;
  • Changes in tariff classifications involving similar products; and
  • Trade flows suggesting possible transshipment through third countries.

The KCS intends to use these analytical tools to detect potential compliance issues at an early stage and initiate investigations more efficiently.

 

Practical Implications

The introduction of the periodic anti-dumping review system represents a significant shift in Korea’s customs enforcement landscape.

Most notably, anti-dumping compliance will no longer be reviewed primarily through isolated investigations or targeted enforcement campaigns. Instead, companies importing products subject to anti-dumping duties should expect ongoing monitoring and periodic scrutiny as part of a structured review program.

Importers of covered products should proactively assess their compliance positions before receiving any inquiry or investigation notice. Particular attention should be given to:

  • Customs valuation methodologies;
  • Tariff classification accuracy;
  • Origin determination procedures;
  • Supplier documentation; and
  • Internal controls relating to anti-dumping compliance.

The new regime may be especially impactful for small and medium-sized enterprises, many of which historically have had limited exposure to comprehensive customs audits. Because the periodic review system applies regardless of company size, businesses should establish internal monitoring procedures and maintain documentation supporting key customs positions on a continuous basis.

The KCS’s increasing use of AI-based risk analysis also has important implications. Importers should anticipate greater scrutiny of pricing fluctuations, sourcing changes, and unusual trade patterns. As a result, companies should be prepared to demonstrate that significant changes in import prices, sourcing strategies, or supply-chain structures reflect legitimate commercial considerations rather than attempts to circumvent anti-dumping measures.

More broadly, the initiative signals a transition toward data-driven customs enforcement. Companies operating in sectors subject to anti-dumping duties should therefore view compliance not as a periodic reporting exercise but as an ongoing risk-management function requiring regular monitoring, documentation, and review.

 

Products Currently Subject to Anti-Dumping Duties

As of February 2026, Korea maintains anti-dumping measures on 28 product categories covering a broad range of industries, including:

  • Steel and metal products (e.g., stainless steel products, aluminum hydroxide, H-beams, hot-rolled steel plates, seamless copper tube, ferrosilicomanganese);
  • Chemical products (e.g., PET resin, PET film, OPP film, petroleum resin, sodium hydrosulfite, butyl glycol ether, polyamide film);
  • Glass and ceramic products (e.g., float glass, white cement);
  • Wood and paper products (e.g., plywood, particleboard, ceramic printing paper, coniferous plywood, coated printing paper); and
  • Various industrial materials and manufacturing inputs.

Given the breadth of products currently covered—and the possibility of additional trade remedy measures in the future—companies involved in cross-border sourcing should regularly monitor developments in Korea’s anti-dumping regime and assess the potential impact on their supply chains and customs compliance obligations.

 

1 Article 51 of the Customs Act.