[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 102 (Friday, May 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34128-34129]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11312]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-580-829]


Stainless Steel Wire Rod From the Republic of Korea: Final 
Negative Determination of Circumvention of the Antidumping Duty Order

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that 
U.S. imports of stainless steel round wire (SSWire) from the Socialist 
Republic of Vietnam (Vietnam) are not circumventing the antidumping 
duty (AD) order on stainless steel wire rod (SSWR) from the Republic of 
Korea (Korea).

DATES: Applicable May 26, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hermes Pinilla, AD/CVD Operations, 
Office I, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3477.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On December 16, 2022, Commerce published in the Federal Register 
its preliminary determination that imports of SSWire from Vietnam are 
not circumventing the AD order on SSWR from Korea.\1\ On April 4, 2023,

[[Page 34129]]

Commerce extended the deadline for the final determination of this 
circumvention inquiry to May 24, 2023.\2\ For a summary of events that 
occurred since Commerce published the Preliminary Determination, as 
well as a full discussion of the issues raised by parties for the final 
determination, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum.\3\ The Issues 
and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file 
electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). 
ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov. In 
addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can 
be accessed directly at https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.
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    \1\ See Stainless Steel Wire Rod from the Republic of Korea: 
Preliminary Negative Determination of Circumvention of the 
Antidumping Order and Postponement of Final Determination, 87 FR 
77072 (December 16, 2022) (Preliminary Determination), and 
accompanying Preliminary Decision Memorandum (PDM); see also, Notice 
of Amendment of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value 
and Antidumping Duty Order: Stainless Steel Wire Rod from Korea, 63 
FR 49331 (September 15, 1998) (Order).
    \2\ See Commerce's Letter, ``Second Extension of Deadline for 
Final Results of Circumvention Inquiry,'' dated April 4, 2023.
    \3\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Final Negative 
Determination of Circumvention Inquiry of the Antidumping Duty Order 
on Stainless Steel Wire Rod from the Republic of Korea,'' dated 
concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Issues and 
Decision Memorandum).
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Scope of the Order 4
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    \4\ See Order.
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    For a full description of the scope of the Order, see the Issues 
and Decision Memorandum.

Merchandise Subject to the Circumvention Inquiry

    This circumvention inquiry covers SSWire completed in Vietnam using 
Korea-origin SSWR and subsequently exported from Vietnam to the United 
States during the period of inquiry January 1, 2020, through December 
31, 2021.

Methodology

    Commerce is conducted this circumvention inquiry in accordance with 
section 781(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act) and 19 
CFR 351.226. See the Preliminary Determination PDM for a full 
description of the methodology.\5\ We have continued to apply this 
methodology for this final determination.\6\
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    \5\ See Preliminary Determination PDM at 4-19.
    \6\ See Issues and Decision Memorandum.
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Analysis of Comments Received

    All issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs by parties in 
this inquiry are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. A 
list of the issues raised is attached to this notice at the appendix.

Final Negative Determination of Circumvention

    As detailed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum, Commerce 
determines that the imports of SSWire completed in Vietnam using Korea-
origin SSWR and subsequently exported from Vietnam to the United States 
are not circumventing the Order on a country-wide basis. Accordingly, 
Commerce is making a negative finding of circumvention of the Order.

Administrative Protective Order

    This notice will serve as the only reminder to all parties subject 
to an administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility 
concerning the destruction of proprietary information disclosed under 
APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written 
notification of return/destruction of APO materials or conversation to 
judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with 
the regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

Notification to Interested Parties

    This determination is issued and published in accordance with 
section 781(c) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.226(g)(1).

    Dated: May 22, 2023.
Lisa W. Wang,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix

List of Topics Discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Merchandise Subject to the Circumvention Inquiry
IV. Scope of the Order
V. Period of Circumvention Inquiry
VI. Discussion of the Issues
    Comment 1: Whether Prior Agency Determinations Are Relevant to 
Whether
    Circumvention Has Occurred in this Case
    Comment 2: Whether Commerce Should Analyze if SSWire Is a 
Substitute for SSWR
VII. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2023-11312 Filed 5-25-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P