Mercedes Benz Korea has been sued by the prosecutors after failing to comply with the South Korean government’s low-emission vehicles policy.
According to the Ministry of Environment on April 9th, the metropolitan air quality management office accused the company and its representative last August for violating the ‘Special Act on Seoul Metropolitan Air Quality Improvement.”
According to the special act, automakers and importers that sell more than a certain number of vehicles in the Seoul Metropolitan area must submit a plan to the government for the distribution of eco-friendly low investment vehicles, including the percentage of sales set by the government each year.
Mercedes Benz Korea is the first company to file a complaint with the prosecution regarding the approval of the plan to supply low-emission vehicles in Korea.
Last year, the government-administered sales ratio was 9.5 percent, but Mercedes Benz Korea submitted a plan to supply only 1.2 percent of the products, failing to gain approval. Some point out that the amount of the fine was so small compared to the violation that Mercedes Benz Korea intentionally failed to comply with the rules. Any violation of the relevant regulations could result in fines of up to 5 million won.
The Ministry of Environment said, “Mercedes Benz Korea sold 400 low-emission cars in 2016 but did not sell a single unit last year. Furthermore, it also failed to get approval from the ministry in regards to their supply
