WTO Gives South Korea, US More Time to Settle Dispute Over US Large Washers Safeguard

Members of the World Trade Organization agreed at a July 7 meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body to grant the U.S. and South Korea more time to talk over a possible settlement to the dispute over the U.S. safeguard measure on large residential washers, the WTO reported in an email. South Korea launched the dispute, and a dispute settlement panel in the proceeding issued its report in February, finding the U.S. violated numerous WTO commitments in enacting the safeguard. South Korea and the U.S. jointly requested the DSB adopt the panel's findings by Oct. 5 unless the DSB decides not to do so or either country tells the DSB of its decision to appeal the ruling -- though this would be futile, given the Appellate Body's lack of members. The DSB agreed to accept the joint request, the second of its kind. The next DSB meeting will be held July 21.