Volkswagen denies emission problems for new cars in Korea

By Choi Sung-jin

Volkswagen Korea claims the 2016 models it has sold in Korea have nothing to do with the CO2 emission fraud scandal.

“Across-the-board internal investigations and measurements have showed the CO2 emissions of most models were consistent to the existing figures,” the company said on its website on Saturday.

In early November, Volkswagen said its internal probes found the CO2 discrepancy in about 800,000 vehicles. But a month later, the company corrected its announcement, saying the number of cars with problems was not 800,000 but 36,000. And the German automaker is denying problems even for the 36,000 cars, market watchers say.

Stressing that only nine models showed a slight discrepancy in figures, Volkswagen said the regulators would measure them again, adding that if differences were confirmed, they would be rectified through normal procedures.

The scandal-ridden carmaker paid $1,000 to 480,000 U.S. and Canadian drivers in early December, but excluded Korean motorists, saying only that it was studying the issue.