The German prosecutor investigating Hyundai Motor's exhaust gas manipulation allegations imposed a fine of 58.5 million euros (approximately 9.49 billion won).
According to a report from local media on the 23rd (local time), the Frankfurt prosecutor stated that it decided to impose a fine on Hyundai Motor in April of last year.
The prosecutor had previously conducted searches of eight Hyundai Motor offices in Germany and Luxembourg on suspicion of selling more than 210,000 diesel vehicles equipped with illegal exhaust gas manipulation devices in June 2022.
The prosecutor imposed fines related to approximately 90,000 vehicles sold under the Hyundai and Kia brands. The problematic vehicles are models that are no longer in production. These vehicles met nitrogen oxide standards during emissions testing, but not during actual driving, dpa reported.
The 58.5 million euro fine includes the recovery of illegal profits earned from vehicle sales.
Business Insider reported that company executives were found to have been negligent in management and oversight during the investigation.
A spokesperson for Hyundai Motor in Germany noted, "The prosecutor could not prove intentional or fraudulent acts."
The Frankfurt prosecutor previously imposed fines or recovered illegal profits of 64.8 million euros (10.51 billion won) from domestic company Opel and 6.5 million euros (1.05 billion won) from Japanese company Suzuki in connection with the exhaust gas manipulation allegations.