Korea Opens Antidumping Investigation Into Acrylate From China, United States, Malaysia

The Trade Commission of the Republic of Korea has decided to open an investigation into the alleged dumping of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate originating in China, the United States and Malaysia, and into whether those imports are injuring the domestic industry. The decision was taken under Article 60(3) of the Enforcement Decree of the Customs Act and is published in Official Gazette No. 21355 of 5 November 2026 as Trade Commission Notice No. 2026-19, signed by the Commission’s chairman. The proceeding was set in motion by a complaint lodged by LG Chem Co., Ltd. on 28 August 2026.

The notice launches a two-track examination — the existence of dumping and the existence of material injury to domestic producers — and formally opens the case to all interested parties, including domestic producers of the like product, importers, users, distributors and foreign suppliers. It also fixes the evidentiary windows on which the Commission will work, so that any party intending to submit data knows in advance which years are relevant.

A colourless monomer classified under HSK 2916.12.4000

The product under investigation is 2-Ethylhexyl Acrylate, described in the notice as a colourless liquid monomer obtained through the esterification of acrylic acid and 2-ethylhexanol, with the molecular formula C11H20O2. It is classified, for reference, under tariff heading HSK 2916.12.4000.

• Product name: 2-Ethylhexyl Acrylate (아크릴산 2-에틸헥실)
• Tariff classification: HSK 2916.12.4000
• Chemical definition: acrylic ester produced by esterifying acrylic acid with 2-ethylhexanol
• Formula: C11H20O2

The Commission states that the tariff classification is indicative only and may be modified or extended in light of the scope of the product, its physical and chemical characteristics and its uses.

Four investigated suppliers, all named in the notice

The investigated suppliers were selected using Korea Customs Service import clearance data, in line with Article 6.10 of the WTO Anti-Dumping Agreement and Article 12(1) of the Enforcement Rules of the Customs Act.

• China: BASF Integrated Site Guangdong Co., Ltd. and Satellite International Singapore Pte. Ltd.
• United States: BASF Corporation
• Malaysia: BASF PETRONAS Chemicals Sdn. Bhd.

Selected suppliers that wish to be examined, and non-selected suppliers that volunteer, must file a questionnaire participation request within three weeks of gazette publication. A volunteer whose request is accepted receives an individual dumping margin; if it is rejected, the “other suppliers” rate applies. Suppliers not selected, and new exporters from the countries concerned, are assigned a margin calculated as the volume-weighted average of the investigated suppliers’ rates.

Investigation periods and the procedural calendar

• Dumping investigation period: 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026
• Injury investigation period: 1 January 2022 to 30 June 2026
• Start of proceedings: date of gazette publication, 5 November 2026
• Preliminary investigation: to conclude within three months of publication
• Main investigation: to conclude within three months from the day after the preliminary findings are submitted
• Extensions: two months per phase, plus a further two months for the main investigation in special cases
• Questionnaire response deadline: at least 40 days for investigated suppliers

The Commission will send questionnaires to identified interested parties, investigated suppliers and the governments of the exporting countries, may carry out on-site verification at cooperating companies, and will hold a public hearing during the main investigation after announcing its date, venue and participants in a separate gazette notice.

Three and four weeks to take part

Domestic producers other than the complainant, industry associations, importers and users wishing to join the case must apply within three weeks of publication, attaching proof of interested-party status, to the Industrial Injury Investigation Division (injury) or the Dumping Investigation Support Division (dumping). A separate four-week window is open for written comments on the definition of the product scope and the product control numbers, which the Commission may adjust after consulting interested parties. Parties that do not register may not receive questionnaires or hearing notices, and unsupported assertions will be excluded from the Commission’s determination.

Filings go to the Trade Commission, 7th floor, Bank Building, 350 Hannuri-daero, Sejong; telephone 044-203-5863 (injury) and 044-203-3861 (dumping).

Why it matters

For importers, distributors and industrial users of HSK 2916.12.4000, the notice starts a clock: the scope of the product — and therefore of any future duty — can still be argued for four weeks, but only registered parties will be heard. The Commission also warns that where a party fails to submit data on time or obstructs the investigation, it may decide the dumping margin and the injury question on the best information available, a provision that in practice penalises companies that stay on the sidelines.

Source: 관보 (Official Gazette of the Republic of Korea), No. 21355, 5 November 2026, notices (official reference: Trade Commission Notice No. 2026-19).