KTC raises duties on Chinese aluminium printing plates

Korea decided to impose up to 10 percent anti-dumping duties on Chinese-made aluminum plates for offset printing, the Korea Trade Commission (KTC) said Friday.

The KTC said it will levy punitive duties of 5.86 to 10.21 percent on the Chinese products in the next five years for underselling Korean products and causing damage to the local market.

The plates, thin and flexible metal panels with light-sensitive chemicals applied, are used to transfer images to printing sheets.

Chinese aluminum plates accounted for 70 percent of the Korean market worth 130 billion won ($111 million). Currently, preliminary anti-dumping duties of around 5.73-10 percent have been imposed on Chinese printing panels as of March 22, the KTC said.

Following the preliminary decision in March, the KTC held an on-site investigation and hearings for nearly three months to make the final decision.

The finance ministry will determine whether to actually impose anti-dumping duties by September. YONHAP