The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    South Korea speeds up full-fledged deployment of US anti-missile battery

  • 3

    INTERVIEWHow ATEEZ achieved worldwide success

  • 5

    ANALYSISTesla, BYD's price cuts unnerve LGES, Samsung, SK

  • 7

    Apple Pay service limited by lack of NFC terminals

  • 9

    4 young Nigerian siblings killed in house fire in Ansan

  • 11

    Foreign minister hosts Iftar dinner for Muslims in Korea

  • 13

    Korean police search for 2 Kazakhstanis who fled airport

  • 15

    Samsung chief inspects production plants in China for first time in 3 years

  • 17

    Unrest on the Island of World Peace in 1903

  • 19

    Putin says Russia will station tactical nukes in Belarus

  • 2

    Lee Sun-kyun, Lee Ha-nee reunite in new rom-com 'Killing Romance'

  • 4

    Kakao seeks to bolster SM's global presence as new owner

  • 6

    Firstborns account for record-high 63% of newborns

  • 8

    Actor Yoo Ah-in appears for questioning over alleged drug use

  • 10

    Chun Doo-hwan's grandson to apologize to victims of Gwangju massacre

  • 12

    Busan aims to win hearts of developing nations in Expo 2030 bid

  • 14

    Bank failures and rescue test Yellen's decades of experience

  • 16

    From mines to mobility: 140-year-old partnership between Germany and Korea

  • 18

    Cook praises China's innovation, long history of cooperation on China visit

  • 20

    Yoo Ah-in appears before police over alleged use of illegal drugs

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Tue, March 28, 2023 | 05:28
Business
Audi, Volkswagen fined $32 mil. for false ads
Posted : 2016-12-07 16:22
Updated : 2016-12-07 19:56
Lee Hyo-sik
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Lee Hyo-sik

Johannes ThammerAudi Volkswagen Korea CEO
Johannes Thammer
Audi Volkswagen Korea CEO
The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has ordered Audi Volkswagen Korea (AVK) to pay a 37.3 billion won ($32 million) fine for running false advertisements on its emissions-rigged diesel engine vehicles.

The antitrust agency said Wednesday that the 37.3 billion won is the largest fine it has ever imposed on corporations for posting false advertizing. It has also decided to file a complaint with the prosecution against AVK CEO Johannes Thammer, former Volkswagen Korea CEO Park Dong-hoon and three other top company executives.

The agency said AVK and its German headquarters misled Korean consumers with false television and print-media advertisements by inflating fuel economy, emissions and other performance-related features of its Euro 5 diesel engine vehicles.

The German carmaker ran the advertisements from December 2007 through November 2015, falsely declaring its pollution-emitting diesel-powered cars as eco-friendly ones. Millions of Volkswagen vehicles sold in Korea and elsewhere over the past few years failed to meet the Euro 5 emissions standard. The company admitted installing controversial software that enabled its cars to detect when their emissions were being tested and to lower them.

"AVK ran false advertisements to promote the sale of its controversial diesel cars," an FTC official said. "The ads falsely claimed the vehicles were environment-friendly and met emissions and other standards. The German automaker intentionally deceived Korean consumers."

The official said consumers can use the FTC's latest action against Audi Volkswagen as evidence in an ongoing class-action lawsuit, seeking millions of dollars in compensation from the carmaker. "We will bolster our monitoring of dubious corporate advertizing and take harsh action against lawbreakers."

AVK said it has not yet been notified by FTC, adding that it will take appropriate action after reviewing the agency's decision.

"At the moment, we cannot say anything because we have not yet been informed by the FTC," an AVK official said. "We will decide what to do after studying the FTC's decision."

Earlier, the Ministry of Environment imposed a 17.8 billion won fine on AVK and filed a criminal suit against the company over its emissions-cheating scandal. The ministry also banned the sales of the 80 of the carmaker's vehicle models.

AVK has submitted plans to recall more than 120,000 diesel-engine vehicles sold in Korea to the ministry three times.

But ministry officials rejected the plans, saying they did not include some key elements, such as the cause of defects and detailed plans to improve the vehicles' fuel economy and other functions after the defeat software was removed.

Emailleehs@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1[ANALYSIS] Tesla, BYD's price cuts unnerve LGES, Samsung, SK ANALYSISTesla, BYD's price cuts unnerve LGES, Samsung, SK
2Yoo Ah-in appears before police over alleged use of illegal drugs Yoo Ah-in appears before police over alleged use of illegal drugs
3Families of foreign construction workers can receive retirement pay: court Families of foreign construction workers can receive retirement pay: court
4US aircraft carrier to visit Busan amid NK provocations US aircraft carrier to visit Busan amid NK provocations
5Indonesian investment minister promotes EV cooperation with Korea Indonesian investment minister promotes EV cooperation with Korea
6Nongshim plans to build plant in eastern US region Nongshim plans to build plant in eastern US region
7Korean crypto investors want Do Kwon punished in USKorean crypto investors want Do Kwon punished in US
8Gimpo-China flights recover to pre-pandemic levels Gimpo-China flights recover to pre-pandemic levels
9Right-wing Japanese support Seoul-Tokyo ties: Korean envoy to JapanRight-wing Japanese support Seoul-Tokyo ties: Korean envoy to Japan
10Gyeonggi police investigate dog farm after finding dead dogs, animal bones Gyeonggi police investigate dog farm after finding dead dogs, animal bones
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Kim Min-gyu, Go Bo-gyeol bid farewell to 'The Heavenly Idol' Kim Min-gyu, Go Bo-gyeol bid farewell to 'The Heavenly Idol'
2Han Suk-kyu on return of 'Dr. Romantic' with Season 3 Han Suk-kyu on return of 'Dr. Romantic' with Season 3
3Kim Nam-gil to embark on Asia fan-meeting tour Kim Nam-gil to embark on Asia fan-meeting tour
4Lee Sun-kyun, Lee Ha-nee reunite in new rom-com 'Killing Romance' Lee Sun-kyun, Lee Ha-nee reunite in new rom-com 'Killing Romance'
5[INTERVIEW] How ATEEZ achieved worldwide success INTERVIEWHow ATEEZ achieved worldwide success
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group