South Korea: Antitrust watchdog probes VW over clean diesel ads

The nation’s antitrust watchdog has launched a full-scale investigation upon suspicions that Volkswagen Korea ran false advertisements about vehicles for which it had rigged emissions tests, officials said Friday.

The probe is expected to strike a blow to the Korean unit of the German carmaker, which is already facing a separate criminal probe and a series of class action suits both in local and US courts.

The Fair Trade Commission is zeroing in on speculation that the carmaker claimed to have passed US and European emissions tests with excellent results, satisfying requirements for the Euro 5 standards.

“We are closely looking into whether VW vehicles have met the Euro 5 standards just like the company advertised,” a FTC official said.

The Euro 5 standard is an emission regulation adopted by the EU to limit pollutant emissions, such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter from diesel and petrol cars, to protect public health and curb environmental problems.

From 2009, Volkswagen sent out advertisements claiming it passed emissions tests in the U.S. and Europe, using specific terms such as “Clean Diesel,” “Eco-friendly” and “Blue Motion.”

Full content: Automotive News Europe

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