TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

U.S. Rules against S. Korea Chips: The United States slapped big duties on low-priced computer chips imported from South Korea, saying American industry is the victim of Asian dumping. The ruling ends a yearlong investigation that pitted U.S. chip producers against their Asian rivals in a key sector of the high-technology market. New duties of up to 11.45% apply to dynamic random access memory chips, or DRAMs, which are widely used in computers, office automation equipment and telecommunications. As a result of the ruling, the U.S. Customs Service can now levy duties on the South Korean imports, which totaled $446 million in 1991. The United States is the top buyer of South Korean chips, accounting for almost 40% of Seoul’s exports.