Another BMW sedan catches fire amid safety concerns over German brand

A BMW sedan again caught fire on a road in South Korea on Monday, the latest in a spate of reported car fires related to the German brand that have heightened safety concerns and prompted a recent massive recall here.The fire broke out in the rear part of the gasoline-powered BMW M3 while it was being driven on a expressway in Namyangju, northeast of Seoul at around 5:53 p.m., according to police and firefighters. (Yonhap)They said no one was hurt because the driver and the passenger immediately

Aug. 13, 2018

[Hydrogen Korea] Hyundai plans fuel cell truck in its latest hydrogen push

The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles on South Korea’s latest measures, hurdles and the market drive for hydrogen economy. This is the second installment. -- Ed. YONGIN, Gyeonggi Province -- Hyundai Motor, which introduced the world’s first mass produced fuel cell vehicle, is reviewing production of fuel cell trucks, hoping to achieve economies of scale in hydrogen-powered mobility. Cars powered by hydrogen are not as popular as electric vehicles. But battery cars are no match for

Aug. 13, 2018

[Hydrogen Korea] Tale of Hyundai’s hydrogen dream

In the world of automobiles, Hyundai Motor is still perceived as a fast follower. But when it comes to hydrogen technologies, the South Korean carmaker is a pioneer, leading a herd of auto giants that have been searching for a new way to replace the internal combustion engine and reduce greenhouse gases.It all began in 1998, when the carmaker joined a government research and development project into fuel cell technology. Back then, Hyundai was a latecomer in the field of hydrogen energy, with ma

Aug. 13, 2018

[Newsmaker] Ministry to look into BMW software manipulation allegation

Amid doubts raised by critics and skeptical consumers that BMW may have manipulated its exhaust gas recirculation software to meet emissions regulations, causing engine fires, the government said Monday it will conduct tests on various BMW vehicles to look into all possibilities.The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will examine the amount of gas emissions from recalled BMW cars that have received a safety checkup and those that have not yet received the inspection along with vehicl

Aug. 13, 2018

Police to summon first owner of BMW vehicle that caught fire

The owner of a BMW vehicle that caught fire will be summoned by police on Monday to give formal testimony as South Korean law enforcement try to determine if the German luxury brand tried to hide a serious safety defect, sources said Sunday.The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it has asked a plaintiff that had filed charges aagainst BMW to give testimony and to submit any other documents the person possess that are related to the fire. (Yonhap)"The person being summoned can represent others

Aug. 12, 2018

Some 300 BMW owners to file more criminal charges against BMW

Amid mounting concerns over BMW vehicles catching fire here, the German luxury carmaker faces a tumultuous road ahead, with roughly 300 BMW owners affected by the recall and engine fires slated to file a criminal suit against the carmaker next week, a lawyer representing the case said Friday.According to lawyer Ha Jong-sun of law firm Bareun, roughly 300 more owners will take legal action around Wednesday. They follow 21 BMW owners -- 20 owners of recalled models and one who had experienced an e

Aug. 10, 2018

[Newsmaker] BMW Korea under siege over continued fires, customers seeking criminal charges

BMW Korea, the local importer and distributor of the German luxury car, on Thursday faced escalating criticism from customers, the government and the political circle, as its vehicles continued to catch fire on motorways here, despite its apology earlier this week and nationwide safety checks. BMW 730Ld that caught fire on Thursday morning was manufactured in 2011, not subject for the carmaker's recall. (Yonhap)Two BMW diesel vehicles -- the 320d and the 730Ld -- reportedly caught fire this morn

Aug. 9, 2018

Angry BMW owners to seek criminal probe against automaker over engine fires

Angry BMW owners to seek criminal probe against automaker over engine firesA group of BMW owners will file a complaint with police this week seeking a criminal investigation into top officials at the local unit of the German carmaker over a recent series of fires in vehicles, a law firm representing the plaintiffs said Wednesday. Johann Ebenbichler (Yonhap)Barun Law LLC said it plans to lodge a complaint on behalf of 20 BMW owners and one victim of a BMW vehicle-related fire with Seoul Namdaemun

Aug. 8, 2018

Korea mulls wider punitive damages system upon BMW crisis

Long-held debate over the need to widen the punitive damages system here has reignited following cases of BMW sedans catching fire, which have prompted legal action by consumers. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Tuesday it would aim to add punitive damages under the current automobile management act together with the Fair Trade Commission within the month.“A slew of problems surfaced leading up to BMW’s recall and after the recall was announced, which has led us to review

Aug. 7, 2018

Posco chairman urges reform ideas from executives

Posco Chairman Choi Jeong-woo has sent an email to executives to encourage suggestions for reforms at the steelmaker, the company said Tuesday.Choi appears to be seeking reform ideas from executives and stakeholders of the world’s fifth-largest steelmaker, for a new vision he plans to present in the next three months. Posco Chairman Choi Jeong-woo (Posco)Before taking office, Choi initiated the “Posco Love Letter” campaign to hear the public’s thoughts on the former state-run company, not just f

Aug. 7, 2018

Hyosung’s tire market share in SE Asia grows

The tire arm of Hyosung Corp. saw its market share in four Southeast Asian countries grow to 40 percent this year from 22 percent two years ago, the company said Monday.The number of clients in India, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam also increased from two to 12 in the same period, according to Hyosung Advanced Materials. (Hyosung Corp.)The company’s technical team has contributed in expanding its market share by hold regular seminars to introduce its latest materials, as sales of vehicles have

Aug. 6, 2018

BMW Korea apologizes for engine fires

Representative Director and Chairman of BMW Korea Kim Hyo-joon officially apologized for a series of engine fires that broke out in its vehicles, in an emergency press conference Monday as the controversy continued to expand into more lawsuits by customers.“BMW sincerely apologizes for causing inconvenience due to a series of fires. Deepest regrets go out for drivers who have experienced accidents. BMW headquarters takes the case seriously with updates shared every day,” said Kim.“A project team

Aug. 6, 2018

[Newsmaker] Local consumer protection group, 100 owners to sue BMW

Despite BMW Korea’s measures including a recall, checks and lease services, more owners of a problematic model that appears prone to catching fire are taking legal action against the automaker, this time joined by a local consumer protection group. Marking the first consumer protection group to take action since the series of BMW fires, the Korea Consumer Association said Monday it is preparing to file a lawsuit against the German luxury carmaker with about 100 members of a BMW car owners’ club.

Aug. 6, 2018

Will South Korea’s lemon law work?

In light of the recent BMW incident in which vehicles caught fire presumably over a malfunctioning component, Korea’s auto industry is paying close attention to the amended automobile management act, also referred to as the Korean version of the US lemon law, slated to take effect next January.The law is being met with mixed reactions. Some critics view it as insufficient and say it should be complemented with stronger legal bounds, while others welcome it as the first step to strengthening cons

Aug. 5, 2018

[Hydrogen Korea] Korea sets out to seize lead in hydrogen energy

The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles on South Korea’s latest measures, hurdles and the market drive for hydrogen economy. This is the first installment. -- Ed.After a decade of dragging its feet, the South Korean government has come up with a set of measures to nurture an ecosystem for hydrogen vehicles, seeking a transition from fossil fuels to zero emission energy.For more than a decade, the state drive for a hydrogen economy has been sidelined, due to policy inconsistencies thr

Aug. 5, 2018

Govt. to start detailed probe into cause of fires in BMW vehicles

The government said Sunday it will kick off a detailed probe into the fires that affected vehicles made by German luxury carmaker BMW, with civilian experts allowed to join the effort.The move comes after BMW last month announced it will voluntarily recall 106,317 vehicles to fix a faulty component that may be causing fires in the engine area of 42 different models. The company said it already checked 15,337 vehicles, with a further 36,606 cars on its waiting list.A total of 32 cars made by the

Aug. 5, 2018

Kia Stinger named segment winner in JD Power 2018 APEAL Study

Kia Motors Corp. beat its rivals to win the J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout award for its Stinger sports sedan, the company said Saturday.The Stinger fastback sports sedan won the J.D. Power APEAL award, beating Mercedes-Benz C-class sedan, BMW's 3 and 4 series in the compact premium car segment, Kia Motors said in a statement. Kia Stinger (Yonhap)Kia Rio also earned the APEAL award in the subcompact segment, beating the Chevrolet Bolt, Toyota Motors Corp.'s Prius C and H

Aug. 4, 2018

BMW Korea under pressure to disclose cause of engine fire

BMW Korea, the local importer and distributor of the German luxury carmaker, is under growing pressure from the government and public to submit technical and auto parts documents to narrow down the reason for engine fires.“We urge BMW to take a responsible stance in the issue and provide substitute cars for owners alongside documents related to auto parts and technology promptly,” the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Friday.BMW Korea is scheduled to transfer the documents cont

Aug. 3, 2018

Transport ministry advises BMW 520d owners to refrain from driving over possible engine fire

The Ministry of Transport and Land on Friday advised the owners of BMW 520d sedans to refrain from driving the vehicle, citing safety issues.“(We advise) owners of the vehicles subject for recall to receive a safety check up as soon as possible and refrain from driving the vehicle until safety is ensured,” said Sohn Byeong-seok, the first transport vice minister.While apologizing for causing public concern, the vice minister said that the government would conduct a thorough investigation into th

Aug. 3, 2018

Hyundai launches #whatsnext campaign in Saudi for female drivers

Hyundai Motor has launched a campaign and programs tailored for female drivers in Saudi Arabia, joining a slew of global automakers eyeing a stake in the market to hike up sales in the region, the company said Thursday.During the company’s meeting of overseas representatives held last month, Hyundai said it would bolster sales in the Middle East in the second half of the year by targeting the Saudi Arabia market where a ban on female driving was lifted on June 24. A task force has been set up th

Aug. 2, 2018