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Hyundai and Kia Motors plan to recall 170

On Apr. 27, Hyundai Motor announced that it would accept the recommendation of South Korea‘s Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) to reinstate Kim Gwang-ho, a former general manager at Hyundai Motor who was fired after leaking information about vehicle defects. But even while reinstating Kim, the company plans to move forward with an administrative lawsuit disputing the validity of Kim’s termination.

In Sep. 2016, after Kim gave South Korean government officials and the media evidence of Theta engine defects in Hyundai and Kia automobiles and of an alleged recall cover-up, Hyundai convened its disciplinary committee, which fired Kim for leaking company secrets without authorization. “Kim indiscriminately leaked company data that he had acquired while doing his work both to specific websites and to third parties that had nothing to do with public interest whistle-blowing,” the company said.

But the ACRC decided last month that Hyundai must “reverse its termination of Kim [the whistle-blower] and take steps to reinstate him to his original position.” Hyundai responded by filing an administration lawsuit with the Seoul Administration Court on Apr. 20 requesting that the commission’s decision be overturned.

Hyundai appears to have decided to restore Kim to his position because of its awareness that firing a whistle-blower and then pressing charges against him was damaging its public image. The timing of Kim’s reinstatement and the work that he will be assigned will be decided according to the company’s human resources protocol.　

By Hong Dae-seon, staff reporter

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