U.S. Department of Commerce Releases Preliminary Results on Acetone Antidumping Review from Korea

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On February 13, 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce published its preliminary findings from the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on acetone from the Republic of Korea. The review covered the period from March 1, 2024, through February 28, 2025.

Kumho P&B Chemicals, Inc. (KPB) was found to have sold acetone in the United States at less than normal value during the review period. Its preliminary weighted-average dumping margin was set at 1.43 percent.

The Department has also decided to rescind the review in part. Specifically, it will not continue the review for LG Chem, Ltd. (LG Chem). This conclusion was made because there were no suspended entries of subject merchandise from LG Chem during the review period.

The Department of Commerce stated that in the absence of any entries during the period of review for LG Chem, assessment of antidumping duties is not applicable. Therefore, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess duties on LG Chem’s prior entries at the cash deposit rates in effect at the time of entry.

The administrative review followed a standard process outlined under the Tariff Act of 1930, sections 751(a)(2), 772, and 773. The Department calculated export prices and normal values based on sales and cost data submitted by KPB.

Because of a government shutdown in 2025, deadlines were delayed. Deadlines were first tolled by 47 days on November 14, 2025, and then by another 21 days on November 24, 2025. As a result, the deadline for preliminary results was shifted to February 9, 2026.

In accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b), Commerce will disclose the calculations used in these preliminary results within five days of publication.

Interested parties who wish to comment can submit case briefs to Commerce no later than 21 days after this notice’s publication. Rebuttal briefs can be filed within five days following the close of case briefs.

Case and rebuttal briefs must include:

  • A statement of the issue
  • A summary of the argument
  • A table of authorities

Parties must also provide a concise executive summary for each issue, limited to 450 words per summary. Oral hearings can be requested within 30 days of publication. Any hearing will cover only the issues raised in written briefs.

Commerce will use the final results to instruct CBP on the liquidation of entries. For KPB, importer-specific antidumping duty assessment rates will be calculated. If the importer-specific dumping margins are de minimis (less than 0.50 percent), the entries will be assessed at zero.

If an importer-specific rate cannot be determined, Commerce will instruct CBP to assess duties using the “all-others” rate of 33.10 percent.

These assessment instructions will be issued no earlier than 35 days after the final results are published in the Federal Register.

Following the final results, cash deposit rates will be updated as follows:

  • The rate for each reviewed company will be established by the final results
  • Companies not reviewed will continue with the most recent rate assigned
  • If only the producer or the exporter has been reviewed before, that rate will apply
  • All others will retain the 33.10 percent rate

Commerce expects to issue its final results within 120 days unless extended.

Importers are reminded of their responsibility to report any reimbursement of duties, as required under 19 CFR 351.402(f).

This notice was signed on February 9, 2026, by Christopher Abbott, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations at the Department of Commerce.

The appended Preliminary Decision Memorandum includes:
I. Summary
II. Background
III. Scope of the Order
IV. Discussion of the Methodology
V. Currency Conversion
VI. Recommendation

The full document, including detailed methodology and instructions, is publicly available through the Federal Register and Commerce’s ACCESS portal.


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