Law firm Barun urged Volkswagen Korea to disclose the source code of engine control units in its cars Tuesday, claiming that its recall plan has problems.

On behalf of 4,338 customers who bought Volkswagen cars, the local law firm is currently leading a class-action suit against the German carmaker involved in an emissions manipulation scandal.


Speaking at a news conference in Seoul, Barun lawyer Ha Jong-sun said the government should insist that Volkswagen submit the source code of its vehicles’ engine control units.

“Without the source code, the government may end up accepting the incomplete recall plan provided by the company. We should obtain the source code in order to examine the matter more fully,” said Ha.

The Environment Ministry recently filed a complaint with prosecutors against Volkswagen for ignoring its request to submit the source code, the lawyer added.

In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency is considering whether a partial fix on Volkswagen vehicles or refund for all cars -- whose emissions were found to be manipulated through the defeat device -- is apt for solving the problem, according to a recent Reuters report.

“We expect there is a high chance that Volkswagen will end up refunding all of their vehicles (the models that are reported to have emission problems) in the U.S., which will also affect the case in Korea,” said Ha.

Ha said that Volkswagen’s move to recall the problematic cars by updating their software program does not help reduce the emissions of nitrogen oxide and CO2, as shown in tests by a car magazine in Germany.

The test data also showed the recall process does not increase fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions, raising doubts on the credibility of Volkswagen’s procedures, the lawyer added.

The local law firm filed a class-action suit against Volkswagen Korea over the emissions scandal last year.

By Hong Sung-pyo (hong1@heraldcorp.com)