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A Nissan dealership in Seoul’s Gangnam district

Nissan Korea, BMW Korea, and Porsche Korea are latest automakers identified as having fabricated authentication documents for import sales after a scandal involving Volkswagen.

The Ministry of Environment announced on Nov. 29 that it had found errors in certification documents for ten models of car presented by three automobile importers. The ministry had conducted an investigation on all 15 companies importing cars to South Korea after revelations last August that Volkswagen had forged certification documents.

Nissan Korea was found to have altered Mercedes-Benz test scores for self-diagnosis devices on certification documents for its Infiniti Q50 and Renault and self-diagnosis test scores for its Qashqai. The Qashqai also faced fines and certificate revocation after the ministry’s discovery of illegal emissions manipulations last May.

BMW Korea was found to have acquired certification by using test scores for its X6M model on certification documents for its X5M. Porsche Korea altered emissions scores on documents for three models, including the Macan S Diesel, while submitting documents indicating that emissions tests for four models - including the Cayman GTS - had been conducted at facilities certified by the ministry when they had not been. Porsche Korea reported errors in its documents voluntarily after the investigation began.

The Ministry of Environment plans to conduct hearings before handing down certification revocations, sales suspensions, and fines to the companies caught in the act. In the Nissan and BMW cases, it is considering reporting the companies to prosecutors as certification is revoked. According to the Clean Air Conservation Act, forgery of certification documents is punishable by up to seven years in prison and fines of up to 100 million won (US$85,200). Unlike automobile part manipulation and technical defects, errors on certification documents do not lead to recall measures.

“Because administrative measures such as certificate revocation, sales suspensions, and fines are handed down on importers manipulating certification documents, there are no restrictions on when the owners who purchase the vehicles according to lawful procedures operate their vehicles or sell them as used cars,” explained a ministry source.

By Kim Jeong-su, senior staff writer

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