South Korea's trade commission said Thursday it plans to launch an antidumping investigation into seamless copper pipes from China and Vietnam.

The Korea Trade Commission under the industry ministry said it has decided to launch the antidumping probe on the judgment that cheap imports of such products caused damage to the related industry in South Korea.

Seamless cooper pipes are commonly used in air conditioners, refrigerators, and cooling and heating systems due to their high levels of corrosion resistance and thermal conductivity.

In September last year, two South Korean producers asked the government to conduct an antidumping investigation into imports of those products.

As of the end of 2020, seamless cooper pipes from China and Vietnam had accounted for about 30 percent of the South Korean market, trailing a share of 60 percent by domestically-produced goods, according to the trade ministry.

The trade commission plans to decide whether to impose antidumping duties after a three-month probe. (Yonhap)