Volkswagen Accused of Emission Manipulation Sees Fine Drastically Reduced to 1.1 Billion KRW in Second Trial

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Tae-min] Audi Volkswagen Korea (AVK), indicted on charges of emission manipulation, was sentenced to a significantly reduced fine of 1.1 billion KRW in the second trial compared to the first trial. In the appeal trial, most of the charges that were recognized as guilty in the first trial were acquitted.

On the 3rd, the Criminal Division 6-1 of the Seoul High Court (Chief Judge Kim Yong-ha) overturned the first trial's sentence of a 26 billion KRW fine against AVK, indicted for violating the Air Quality Preservation Act, and sentenced a fine of 1.1 billion KRW. Former AVK President Park Dong-hoon, who was sentenced to two years in prison in the first trial, was sentenced to eight months in prison with a two-year probation in the appeal trial. Yoon, who was the head of the certification department, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison, heavier than the one year in the first trial, but was not detained in court.

The second trial court acquitted AVK of charges related to emission manipulation of 120,000 Volkswagen and Audi diesel vehicles of 15 models from 2008 to 2015 under the 'Euro 5' standard, which were recognized as guilty in the first trial, including violations of the Air Quality Preservation Act, Customs Act, and the Act on Labeling and Advertising. By acquitting the violation of the Air Quality Preservation Act due to software manipulation, the related charges of violating the Customs Act and the Act on Labeling and Advertising were also acquitted.

However, charges such as forgery and alteration of emission test reports were judged guilty as in the original trial. The court viewed that the defendants altered the test reports to resolve the inconvenience in work when the test results for the same vehicle were inconsistent.

The appeal trial also acquitted the emission manipulation charges for about 600 vehicles of three models under the stricter 'Euro 6' standard, as in the first trial.

However, the court judged guilty, as in the first trial, the charges of manipulating emission and noise test documents from 2010 to 2015 for various brands including Volkswagen, Audi, and Bentley (obstruction of official duties by deception, etc.).

Yoon's sentence was increased because some charges that were not recognized as conspiratorial in the first trial were overturned to guilty in the appeal trial, but he was not detained.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.