Amid BMW engine fire turmoil, police raid BMW Korea office

Published : Aug 30, 2018 - 11:12 Updated : Aug 30, 2018 - 12:08

A team of 30 investigators from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency searched the BMW Korea office in central Seoul to seize documents related to exhaust gas recirculation, the defective part BMW cited as the reason behind its vehicles catching fire, according to police Thursday.

This is the first time police have searched BMW Korea’s office. It has been investigating whether BMW intentionally hid the defect, upon criminal investigation sought by 41 BMW owners earlier this month against BMW officials, including BMW Korea chief Kim Hyo-joon and BMW Chairman Harald Kruger.

(Yonhap)

The owners had been urging authorities to search the office, citing concerns that the company may hide evidence.

“Police will obtain evidence related to the case through the search and seizure. We will put forth our best to find out the facts through strict investigation,” the police said.

Over 40 BMW cars have caught fire so far this year, with the latest incident reported around 12:15 a.m. Wednesday involving a BMW 320i that caught fire in eastern Seoul.

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)

(Yonhap)