US imposes duties on Samsung, LG washing machines

[July 31, 2012]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. Commerce Department has granted a request from Whirlpool Inc. to impose tariffs on washing machines imported from South Korea and Mexico.

The department says that Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. imported machines from Korea and Mexico at prices below fair market value, a practice known as dumping. Dumping is illegal under U.S. trade law and companies can seek duties to counteract it.

The department also says it will impose duties on washing machines from South Korea made by Daewoo Electronics Corp. and from Mexico by Electrolux, which is based in Sweden.

The tariffs range from 9.6 percent to 72.4 percent.

The decision is preliminary and won't become final until late January, after further investigation by Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission, an independent agency.

[Associated Press; By CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER]

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