With regard to imports from Taiwan, the ITC made an affirmative determination that an industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of static random access memory semiconductors that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value. The affirmative determination regarding imports from Taiwan resulted from a 1-1 vote. Vice Chairman Lynn M. Bragg voted in the affirmative. Chairman Marcia E. Miller voted in the negative. Commissioner Carol T. Crawford did not participate in this investigation.

With respect to imports of these products from the Republic of Korea, the ITC determined that an industry in the United States is neither injured nor threatened with material injury by reason of the imports that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value. The negative determination regarding imports from the Republic of Korea resulted from a 3-0 vote. Chairman Miller, Vice Chairman Bragg, and Commissioner Crawford voted in the negative.

The ITC's votes in these final phase antidumping investigations were held on April 1, 1998, under section 735(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930. As a result of the affirmative determination, the U.S. Department of Commerce will direct the U.S. Customs Service to impose antidumping duties on these products from Taiwan. As a result of the negative determination, the investigation regarding imports of these products from the Republic of Korea is ended.

The Commission's public report Static Random Access Memory Semiconductors from the Republic of Korea and Taiwan (Investigations Nos. 731-TA-761-762 (Final), USITC Publication 3098, April 1998) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

Copies may be obtained without charge after April 22, 1998, by calling 202-205-1809 or from the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be made by fax to 202-205-2104.

Product Description: The imported products subject to these investigations are static random access memory semiconductors (SRAMs). SRAMs are a class of volatile semiconductor memory that are used in computers, portable electronic equipment such as cellular phones, facsimile machines, and modems. In computer applications, SRAMs provide fast intermediate data storage between the microprocessor and main memory, often referred to as "cache" memory. In other electronic applications, particularly those requiring low power consumption, SRAMs can act as a system's main memory. All SRAM types are included in these investigations, whether assembled or unassembled. Unassembled SRAMs include processed wafers or dice, uncut dice, and cut dice. Assembled SRAMs include all package types as well as modules. Processed wafers fabricated in Korea and Taiwan, but packaged or assembled into memory modules in a third country are included in these investigations. However, wafers fabricated in a third country but assembled in Korea or Taiwan are not included.

Status of Proceedings:
  1. Type of investigations: Final antidumping.
  2. Petitioner:  Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID.
  3. Investigations instituted by the USITC:  February 25, 1997.
  4. Public hearing: February 18, 1998.
  5. USITC votes: April 1, 1998.
  6. USITC notification of U.S. Department of Commerce: April 8, 1998. 

U.S. Industry:
  1. Number of producers in 1997: Twelve.
  2. Location of producers' plants:  Arizona, California, Idaho, Minnesota, 
       Oregon, Texas, and Vermont. 
  3. Employment of production and related workers in 1997: Approximately 2,400.
  4. Apparent U.S. consumption in 1997: 245,000 billion bits valued at $1.5 billion.
  5. Ratio of LTFV imports to U.S. consumption in 1997: 12.6 percent based on
       quantity and 7.9 percent based on value.

U.S. Imports:
  1. LTFV imports from the subject countries during 1997: 48,000 billion bits
       valued at $132 million.
  2. Non-LTFV imports from Korea and other countries during 1997: 139,000 billion bits
       valued at $590 million.
  3. Leading import sources during 1997: Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.