Volkswagen may face W320b fine

German carmaker Audi Volkswagen’s local unit Volkswagen Korea may receive up to 320 billion won ($282 million) in fines for allegedly forging vehicle authentication test results, sources said Friday.

The ministry explained that a carmaker which falsified test result for its vehicles’ noise-level, fuel efficiency and emissions to receive authentication can be fined up to 10 billion won per vehicle type, according to the revised Clean Air Conservation Act which will take effect on 28th. 

The upper limit of the penalty was increased due to the revised Clause 48. 

The original law regulates up to 1 billion won per vehicle type, but it was amended last year to strengthen effectiveness of checking noise-level and emissions level of vehicles. 

The ministry said that such a scenario was possible and that it would decide whether it is going to apply the revised law on Volkswagen Korea after completing a hearing from the company on July 25. 

The ministry has notified Tuesday officials from the German automaker appear for questioning. The manufacturer is suspected of rigging the figures in reports for 32 types and 79 models of diesel and gasoline Volkswagen vehicles -- including the VW Golf and Audi A8 -- submitted to the National Institute of Environmental Research. 

Last November, the ministry had fined the German automaker 14.1 billion won, ordered a recall and suspended sales on 126,000 vehicles of 15 Volkswagen models for emissions manipulation.

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)