In a statement submitted to the USTR last Monday, South Korea said it believes the proposed action against the country "is unwarranted and needs to be revised," while sharing Washington's concerns over the "use of forced labor in global supply chains and the need for its elimination."
The statement argued that the USTR's conclusion "relies on certain case studies that illustrate how the importation of forced labor goods from specific economies burdens or restricts U.S. commerce," adding that it "appears not to have sufficiently taken into account [South] Korea's circumstances."
"In the absence of a sufficient and country-specific analysis, [South] Korea has doubts as to the basis for the conclusion that it has burdened or restricted U.S. commerce through the importation of such goods," it said.
It also pointed out that the International Energy Agency (IEA)'s report cited by the USTR does not identify South Korea as importing polysilicon produced with forced labor or exporting related processed products to the U.S.
It also stressed that South Korea remains committed to implementing a pledge made in a joint fact sheet with the U.S. after the two countries reached a broader bilateral trade deal last fall.
The statement came in response to the USTR's proposed tariffs under Section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974, announced early last month. The USTR said 60 economies including South Korea had failed to impose or effectively enforce bans on imports of goods made with forced labor, concluding that such practices unreasonably burden or restrict U.S. commerce.
It then proposed additional tariffs of 10 to 12.5 percent on economies that have adopted or committed to importing goods produced with forced labor.
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