[THE INVESTOR] Ssangyong Motor will recall over 2,600 units of its flagship Korando C sport utility vehicle sold here for faulty seatbelts, the Transport Ministry said on July 28.

The car is one of six vehicle models, including two types of two-wheeled vehicles and a commercial truck, from five separate manufacturers that failed government tests, according to the ministry.


The latest government test involved 16 vehicle models that were sold under a self-certification system. The government regularly checks self-certified vehicles to make sure they do in fact meet all safety regulations.

The recall affects 2,637 Korando C cars produced between March 30 and May 26 of 2015.

Manufacturers of vehicles that fail government tests in self-certified categories are also subject to a fine of up to 1 billion won (US$882,000) or one-thousandth of their overall sales for each vehicle type that fail the test.

The government test also showed certain model year Jaguar XF 2.2D luxury passenger cars have been sold on a false self-certified fuel efficiency that fell short of their actual performance by an average 7.2 percent.

In addition to a fine, Jaguar Land Rover Korea, the local importer and distributor of Jaguar and Land Rover cars, will pay 700,000 won in compensation to each owner of the 1,195 Jaguar XF 2.2D cars produced between April 15, 2015, and June 8, 2016, the ministry said in a press release.

(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)