One of the important functions of the World Trade Organization (WTO) is to provide a means of settling trade disputes between its member states. The Dispute Settlement Body of the WTO established a panel on January 22, 2014 to mediate in a dispute between Korea and the United States. This trade dispute has arisen owing to US anti-dumping and countervailing measures imposed on Korean large residential washing machines.
Korea requested that the panel be set up on the grounds that the US measures effectively prevent Korean manufacturers from exporting to the US and therefore are inconsistent with the WTO Agreements to which the US is bound as a member of the WTO.
The US argues however that the measures are consistent with its WTO obligations and is therefore defending its position.
