South Korea pushes ahead on oil pipe dispute with U.S.

GENEVA (AFP) -- South Korea has pushed forward with its complaint against the United States over anti-dumping tariffs on steel pipes used by the oil industry, the World Trade Organization said Tuesday.

Seoul requested consultations with Washington over the matter in December, but South Korea has now requested the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body set up a panel of experts to resolve the issue after being unsatisfied with the talks, a WTO statement said.

The Geneva-based WTO polices global trade accords in an effort to offer its 160 member economies a level playing field.

South Korea's complaint followed a US decision in July to impose duties of up to 16 percent on South Korean steel pipes and tubes used for oil drilling.

Seoul charged that the measures and US methodology for calculating prices and values were counter to a range of global trade rules, the WTO said in December.