Prosecutors raid Hyundai Motor over alleged defect cover-up

Visitors to an exhibition about children's safety at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung-gu, Seoul, Feb. 14, watch mannequins used to demonstrate the anti-crash feature of Hyundai Nexo. Yonhap

Prosecutors raided the main office of Hyundai Motor and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors on Wednesday as part of a probe into allegations that the company tried to conceal defects in some of its vehicle lineups.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office sent its investigators to search the quality division at the headquarters of South Korea's No. 1 automaker, located in Seoul's southern Seocho district, and collect evidence related to the allegations, according to the prosecution.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and civic groups requested a prosecution probe into Hyundai and Kia in May 2017, accusing the auto company of concealing the parts defects in 12 models. The ministry ordered a recall on 238,000 of those vehicles. (Yonhap)