Tesla Motors has reaffirmed its planned launch in Seoul, stressing that the recent case of a South Korean celebrity claiming serious defects in its car would not affect its plans, an industry source told The Korea Herald.

An official closely related to the US electric vehicle maker said the launch is “imminent” and will be carried out within the beginning of the year. Tesla was to open its first flagship showroom at Starfield Hanam Mall in Gyeonggi Province by Nov. 28, 2016, but the plan had been delayed without an official statement and specified date.

The source said the carmaker is in the process of getting approval from the Korean government. The plan has been delayed, as the government asked the company to submit additional documents. However, this was not due to the accident, the source said.

The carmaker wants to lie low before being granted the sales permit, as it believes contact with the media in the middle of the approval process could affect the government’s decision, the source added.

“The case that happened in the US would not affect Tesla Motors’ launch in Seoul. The carmaker has been clear about the case -- that it has nothing to do the driver’s claims, as data has showed,” the official said, adding the electric car maker is in the final stage of organizing its team in Seoul. 



Korean singer-actor Son Ji-chang claimed that his Model X SUV unexpectedly accelerated at full power while he was trying to park at his house in Los Angeles last year. The vehicle had crashed through a wall and into his living room. He and his son, who was in the passenger seat, were injured, he said.

The incident has sparked controversy here, raising concerns about the safety of the iconic EV ahead of its launch in Seoul.

On Dec. 30, Son filed a lawsuit seeking class action status against Tesla Motors in the US District Court in California, after learning that similar accidents involving the Model X had also been reported to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Son also said he was planning to request the US NHTSA open an inquiry into the Tesla Model X for defects that cause sudden unintended acceleration.

However, Tesla has denied the allegations, saying the crash was entirely Son’s fault and that he had pressed the accelerator.

Tesla’s upcoming launch in Korea is being closely watched by the industry, as there are expectations that it would spur rapid growth of the EV market.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)