Korea fines 12 carmakers and importers for safety violations

Mercedes-Benz Korea was fined 7.2 billion won ($5.78 million) [MERCEDES-BENZ KOREA]

Korea will impose 17.9 billion won ($14.44 million) in fines on 12 manufacturers and importers of vehicles, including Mercedes-Benz Korea, Tesla Korea and Porsche Korea, that sold vehicles that failed to meet safety standards, the transport ministry said Tuesday.

The fines were calculated in consideration of car sales, the correction rate and maximum statutory fines for 31 violations of the Motor Vehicle Management Act from January to June 2022.

Mercedes-Benz Korea will pay 7.2 billion won in fines for 10 violations, such as a software issue where the hands-off detection system caused the vehicle to assume that a driver's hands were on the wheel. The recall covers 30,878 units and 25 models, including the E250.

Tesla Korea will have to pay 2.2 billion won for five violations, such as a software issue preventing the driver seat belt reminder chime from activating in 30,333 units and two models, including the Model 3.

Hyundai Motor was fined 2.2 billion won for three violations, including a recall over 64,013 Genesis GV80s for a software error that issues a warning for low tire pressure.

Kia was fined 87 million won for 280 Carnivals over an issue with the seatbelt arrangement for the left and middle third-row seat.

Others included MAN Truck & Bus Korea with a 1.7 billion won fine, Volkswagen Group Korea 1.5 billion won, Honda Korea 1 billion won, Porsche Korea 1 billion won, PLINE Motors 500 million won, Toyota Korea 400 million won, Ford Sales and Service Korea 100 million won and Kiheung Motors 37 million won.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport explained that it cut the fines in half for 11 of the 31 violations where the companies undertook the recall and fixed more than 90 percent of the units. It also reduced the fine by 25 percent for one case that reached a 90-percent correction rate.

“We will continue to look into situations that do not meet the vehicle safety standards, and we will take stern measures according to the law,” an official from the ministry said.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]