Samsung, LG cleared of U.S. dumping charge

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― The U.S. government on Tuesday ruled in favor of South Korea’s major refrigerator makers, Samsung and LG, in an anti-dumping case against their American rival, Whirlpool.

The U.S. International Trade Commission said the U.S. industry has not been harmed by imports of bottom-mount combination refrigerator-freezers made in Samsung and LG factories in South Korea and Mexico.

The ITC said in a press release that it “determined that a U.S. industry is not materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of those products with which Whirlpool takes issue.”

The ITC is an independent, quasijudicial federal agency with broad investigative responsibilities in matters of trade.

The 5-0 ruling by the ITC overturns a verdict by the Department of Commerce that Samsung and LG had dumped their subsidized products in the U.S. market at less than fair value.

It paves the way for the firms to bring in those goods without any dumping duties imposed.

LG applauded the ITC’s decision, saying it “ends the baseless investigation launched a year ago by Whirlpool.”

The Michigan-based producer of home appliances said it is “extremely disappointed” by the ruling.

“We believe the facts clearly demonstrated that dumped imports of bottom-mount refrigerators from South Korea and Mexico are causing injury to the U.S. industry,” Marc Bitzer, president of Whirlpool North America, said in a press release.

“Despite today’s ruling, Whirlpool remains committed to taking action against any unlawful trade practices that threaten” Whirlpool’s competitiveness, he added.