WTO sides with South Korea in Hynix DRAM tariff dispute

By Suzanne Deffree, Managing Editor, News -- Electronic News, 11/29/2007

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has sided with South Korea in a DRAM tariff dispute with Japan, upholding a ruling that Japan has violated international trade rules by imposing import duties on Hynix Semiconductors memory.

South Korea has argued that Japan’s 27.2 import duty on Hynix DRAM is unfair. That duty was levied in January 2006 on Japan’s claims that Hynix had an unfair advantage in the memory market because of subsidies from the South Korean government.

The WTO’s ruling does not require Japan to lift the duties immediately, however. Instead, the ruling is expected to reduce the tariff levels.

The WTO has also weighed in on disputes involving Hynix and the company’s presence in the United States and Europe.