A court in Seoul has handed down a custodial sentence for a manager employed by Audi Volkswagen Korea. The employee has been sentenced to eighteen months in prison for forging data concerning the emissions and noise levels of imported cars.
“With this criminal act, which has caused considerable social and economic damage, Volkswagen has undermined its own trustworthiness as a global brand,” the court said.
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Various news wires have stated that the court revealed only the surname of the executive, Yun, noting that he was convicted of document fabrication, obstruction of work and the violation of an environment law.
The court found that Yun had forged emissions and sound levels for TDI engines. This was in order to comply with local regulations so that VW cars could continue to be imported into the country. The Volkswagen Group admitted in September 2015 that it had manipulated the emissions levels of eleven million cars around the world.
Audi Volkswagen Korea is still being pursued by the Korean authorities, even though the importer has already been fined KRW55.1bn (US$46m) for activities related to the TDI or Dieselgate scandal.
Johannes Thammer, the head of Audi Volkswagen Korea, remains the subject of a criminal investigation in the country, Reuters adds. The Wolfsburg-based company says both and its South Korean operations are cooperating with the authorities in Seoul.
In related news, one Volkswagen of America engineer has already admitted wrongdoing in the TDI engine emissions scandal and could be jailed for as many as five years. A ruling in that case is pending.
