On July 8, 2026, the Korea Trade Commission issued Announcement No. 2026-13, deciding to initiate an anti‑dumping investigation into dumping and injury to the domestic industry concerning polyvinyl chloride (PVC) suspension resin originating in China. This marks the first time that South Korea has directly targeted Chinese PVC producers with an anti‑dumping probe, following its previous imposition of anti‑dumping duties of 25.79% to 31.55% on PVC paste resin from Germany, France, Norway, and Sweden.
Hanwha Solutions Filed Petition, Alleging Chinese Low‑Price Dumping
The investigation was initiated based on a petition filed by South Korean chemical giant Hanwha Solutions at the end of April 2026 with the Korea Trade Commission. Hanwha Solutions alleged that Chinese‑origin PVC suspension resin has been flooding the Korean market at low prices, causing material injury to the domestic industry.
According to statistics from the Korea International Trade Association, South Korea's imports of PVC from China have surged in recent years, rising from 14,345 tons in 2024 to 30,806 tons in 2025. However, the import value only increased from $11.6 million in 2024 to $26.8 million in 2025, a growth far below the increase in import volume. The Korea Trade Commission believes this may be attributable to unfairly low‑priced dumping from China.
Investigation Targets Tianjin Bohua and Wanhua Chemical
According to the Korea Trade Commission's announcement, the specific targets of this anti‑dumping investigation are two Chinese petrochemical enterprises: Tianjin Bohua and Wanhua Chemical. The investigation period for determining dumping is from January 1 to December 31, 2025.
The Korean tariff code for the subject product is 3904.10.0000. Under South Korea's anti‑dumping procedures, the Korea Trade Commission will conduct determinations on dumping and injury to the domestic industry after the initiation. If it finally rules that dumping exists and causes injury to the domestic industry, it will recommend that the Ministry of Economy and Finance impose anti‑dumping duties.
PVC Supply Side Tightens Simultaneously, Ex‑Factory Prices Rise
On the same day that South Korea initiated the anti‑dumping investigation, domestic PVC producers raised ex‑factory prices by 20‑50 yuan/ton for some grades. At the same time, LG Chem's and Ordos' old‑site PVC plants were shut down for maintenance, Wanhua Chemical's Fujian plant underwent annual overhaul, Tosoh's facility experienced a temporary shutdown, and Anhui Huasu's plant also underwent maintenance. The concentrated maintenance of multiple units, combined with expectations of escalating trade frictions, created a resonance between the supply side and market sentiment in the PVC market.
South Korea's Trade Remedies Against China Intensify
This PVC anti‑dumping investigation is part of South Korea's recent trade remedy measures against China. On the same day, July 8, 2026, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) issued an early warning information bulletin showing that South Korea also imposed anti‑dumping duties on carbon steel and alloy steel hot‑rolled plates involving China. Previously, on May 21, 2026, South Korea made an affirmative final determination on PVC paste resin from Germany, France, Norway, and Sweden, recommending the imposition of anti‑dumping duties for five years. In 2025, the number of anti‑dumping applications filed by South Korean companies reached a record high, with the most applications targeting Chinese companies.
South Korea's initiation of this anti‑dumping probe on Chinese PVC suspension resin, together with India's existing anti‑dumping duties of $122‑232/ton on PVC suspension resin from China and Pakistan's duties of 3.44% to 20.47% on Chinese mainland‑origin PVC, means that China's PVC exports are facing increasingly severe international trade barriers. The outcome of this investigation will have a direct impact on the bilateral PVC trade between China and South Korea, which exceeds 30,000 tons annually.
