The government said on the 11th that it asked Canada to lift strengthened tariffs on imported steel.
According to the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), Deputy Minister Yeo Han-koo asked for this friendly step during a video meeting with Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu the same day.
On the 26th of last month, Canada said it would reduce the application threshold for the steel low tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for countries with free trade agreements (FTA), including Korea, from 100% to 75% and impose a 25% tariff on steel derivatives.
Under the measure that takes effect on the 26th, Korean steel products will newly face a 50% tariff on volumes exceeding 75% of last year's exports.
The Deputy Minister emphasized that Canada's action violates the World Trade Organization (WTO) system and the Korea-Canada FTA rules.
She also conveyed concern that the steel TRQ measure had been tightened despite Korea continuously conveying the government's and industry's positions to Canada through various channels.
The Deputy Minister said, "This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Korea-Canada FTA taking effect," and requested, "In light of the two countries being free-trade partners based on mutual trust over many years, we ask Canada to take friendly steps for Korean steel."
A Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) official said, "We will continue to actively share developments related to the implementation of Canada's steel TRQ measures with Korea's steel industry and communicate regularly with the Canadian government to keep conveying our industry's concerns."