US, South Korea Settle WTO Dispute; US Objects to Hong Kong-Related Ruling
The U.S. and South Korea reached a solution ending a dispute settlement case on the U.S. safeguard measure concerning imports of large residential washers, the World Trade Organization announced. South Korea said at the April 30 meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body that the U.S. brought its measure in line with the relevant WTO agreements. The U.S. claimed that while certain elements of the panel's findings were "disappointing and unbalanced," it allowed the report to be adopted, the WTO said.
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The panel ruling was initially released in February 2022 but was delayed from being adopted for over a year by the U.S. and South Korea. The duties under review in this instance have lapsed.
The U.S. also expressed its disappointment with another WTO dispute panel ruling, on origin marking requirements for goods from Hong Kong. The U.S. said its measures were based on "well-grounded determinations implicating US essential security interests relating to democracy and human rights," according to the WTO. The global trade body does not have the authority to judge the value the U.S. places on freedom and human rights and the actions they take in securing these values, the WTO said.