Seoul to probe Chinese motorcycles for allegation of emission cheating for 10 yrs

[Photo by Han Joo-hyung]

South Korea¡¯s environment ministry announced Tuesday it would investigate domestic importers and Chinese motorcycle manufacturers on the allegations of having cheated on emission standards for more than a decade during which a total of around 100,000 motorbikes were imported to Korea.

According to investigations by Maeil Business Newspaper, around 30 domestic importers of Chinese motorcycles cheated on the Ministry of Environment¡¯s pollutant emissions and noise test by manipulating the software installed in the engine control unit (ECU) which regulates the injection of the fuel.

Domestic importers rigged the emissions test by using an ECU software file that was tampered with by Chinese manufacturers.

A majority of Chinese motorcycles are also currently eligible for the rule that allows 500 cars to be exempted from emissions tests as long as one car of the same model passes the test. According to the Ministry of Environment, 97,716 Chinese motorcycles were imported from 2012 to July this year without having to pass the emissions test.

However, in a test where the Korea Environment Corporation (K-eco) randomly selected motorcycles to measure emissions, all bikes failed to meet the emission standards.

[¨Ï Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]