A BMW sedan again caught fire on a road in South Korea on Monday, the latest in a spate of reported car fires related to the German brand that have heightened safety concerns and prompted a recent massive recall here.The fire broke out in the rear part of the gasoline-powered BMW M3 while it was being driven on a expressway in Namyangju, northeast of Seoul at around 5:53 p.m., according to police and firefighters. (Yonhap)They said no one was hurt because the driver and the passenger immediately

VP in charge of Korean carmaker’s hydrogen project calls Toyota ‘good friend,’ but dismisses possible alliance

In the world of automobiles, Hyundai Motor is still perceived as a fast follower. But when it comes to hydrogen technologies, the South Korean carmaker is a pioneer, leading a herd of auto giants that have been searching for a new way to replace the internal combustion engine and reduce greenhouse gases.It all began in 1998, when the carmaker joined a government research and development project into fuel cell technology. Back then, Hyundai was a latecomer in the field of hydrogen energy, with ma

Amid doubts raised by critics and skeptical consumers that BMW may have manipulated its exhaust gas recirculation software to meet emissions regulations, causing engine fires, the government said Monday it will conduct tests on various BMW vehicles to look into all possibilities.The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will examine the amount of gas emissions from recalled BMW cars that have received a safety checkup and those that have not yet received the inspection along with vehicl

The owner of a BMW vehicle that caught fire will be summoned by police on Monday to give formal testimony as South Korean law enforcement try to determine if the German luxury brand tried to hide a serious safety defect, sources said Sunday.The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it has asked a plaintiff that had filed charges aagainst BMW to give testimony and to submit any other documents the person possess that are related to the fire. (Yonhap)"The person being summoned can represent others

Amid mounting concerns over BMW vehicles catching fire here, the German luxury carmaker faces a tumultuous road ahead, with roughly 300 BMW owners affected by the recall and engine fires slated to file a criminal suit against the carmaker next week, a lawyer representing the case said Friday.According to lawyer Ha Jong-sun of law firm Bareun, roughly 300 more owners will take legal action around Wednesday. They follow 21 BMW owners -- 20 owners of recalled models and one who had experienced an e

BMW Korea, the local importer and distributor of the German luxury car, on Thursday faced escalating criticism from customers, the government and the political circle, as its vehicles continued to catch fire on motorways here, despite its apology earlier this week and nationwide safety checks. BMW 730Ld that caught fire on Thursday morning was manufactured in 2011, not subject for the carmaker's recall. (Yonhap)Two BMW diesel vehicles -- the 320d and the 730Ld -- reportedly caught fire this morn

Angry BMW owners to seek criminal probe against automaker over engine firesA group of BMW owners will file a complaint with police this week seeking a criminal investigation into top officials at the local unit of the German carmaker over a recent series of fires in vehicles, a law firm representing the plaintiffs said Wednesday. Johann Ebenbichler (Yonhap)Barun Law LLC said it plans to lodge a complaint on behalf of 20 BMW owners and one victim of a BMW vehicle-related fire with Seoul Namdaemun

Long-held debate over the need to widen the punitive damages system here has reignited following cases of BMW sedans catching fire, which have prompted legal action by consumers. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Tuesday it would aim to add punitive damages under the current automobile management act together with the Fair Trade Commission within the month.“A slew of problems surfaced leading up to BMW’s recall and after the recall was announced, which has led us to review

Posco Chairman Choi Jeong-woo has sent an email to executives to encourage suggestions for reforms at the steelmaker, the company said Tuesday.Choi appears to be seeking reform ideas from executives and stakeholders of the world’s fifth-largest steelmaker, for a new vision he plans to present in the next three months. Posco Chairman Choi Jeong-woo (Posco)Before taking office, Choi initiated the “Posco Love Letter” campaign to hear the public’s thoughts on the former state-run company, not just f

The tire arm of Hyosung Corp. saw its market share in four Southeast Asian countries grow to 40 percent this year from 22 percent two years ago, the company said Monday.The number of clients in India, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam also increased from two to 12 in the same period, according to Hyosung Advanced Materials. (Hyosung Corp.)The company’s technical team has contributed in expanding its market share by hold regular seminars to introduce its latest materials, as sales of vehicles have

Consumer group joins customers in filing lawsuit

Despite BMW Korea’s measures including a recall, checks and lease services, more owners of a problematic model that appears prone to catching fire are taking legal action against the automaker, this time joined by a local consumer protection group. Marking the first consumer protection group to take action since the series of BMW fires, the Korea Consumer Association said Monday it is preparing to file a lawsuit against the German luxury carmaker with about 100 members of a BMW car owners’ club.

Ministry releases details of new rules for auto defect refund, but reactions mixed over effectiveness

With Hyundai at global forefront, Seoul’s W2.6tr plan on hydrogen ecosystem ups hopes for energy transition, but market remains uncertain