Anti-Dumping Trade Remedies: A Pie in the Sky for SMEs

Vulnerable Access Due to Shortage of Professional Personnel and Complex Procedures
Jinwook Jung: "Urgent Need for Tailored Support for Affected Companies"

Jinwook Jung, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Criticism has been raised that the anti-dumping trade remedy system, which was introduced to protect domestic industries, is being operated mainly in favor of large corporations.

On October 10, Jinwook Jung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Gwangju Dongnam-gap, analyzed data submitted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and found that, over the past six years (from 2020 to August 2025), only 15 out of 69 companies (22%) that applied for anti-dumping investigations were small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), while nearly half, or 34 companies (49%), were large corporations. Notably, this year, only one SME applied, highlighting a serious polarization trend.

An anti-dumping investigation is a system in which the government imposes tariffs to protect domestic industries when foreign companies' low-priced exports cause harm to local businesses. This system has proven effective, with tariff imposition rulings in 84.6% of the 46 cases filed. However, SMEs, which are directly impacted by increased imports, are unable to take advantage of the system due to a lack of personnel and complex procedures.

A satisfaction survey of SMEs conducted from 2021 to 2024 identified "shortage of professional response personnel," "complicated application procedures," and "limited access to information" as the main difficulties. In particular, the proportion of respondents citing "shortage of professional personnel" surged to 36% in 2024, indicating a worsening lack of practical response capacity among SMEs.

Assemblyman Jung pointed out, "The trade remedy system is directly linked to the competitiveness of Korean industry, but for SMEs, it is little more than a pie in the sky," urging the government to play a more active role.

He emphasized the urgent need to introduce a "practical pre-support package" that integrates counseling, evidence collection, and legal advice from the initial stages of a case, as well as to strengthen regional roadshows and online training to improve accessibility for local SMEs.