South Korea has suspended sales of most Volkswagen models, a new blow to the German automaker which is fighting to overcome the global fallout from the emissions testing scandal.
The South Korean government has decertified 80 VW, Audi and Bentley vehicle models and fined Volkswagen 17,8 billion won ($16,06 million) for allegedly falsifying emissions test or noise level documents .
Volkswagen called the decision "very harsh" and said it was considering legal action.
In all, 209.000 VW vehicles have been decertified in South Korea since November, mostly for emissions-related issues. This is 68% of the vehicles the automaker has sold in the country since 2007, explains the environment ministry.
South Korea is a relatively small market for Volkswagen, while representing a major turnaround for its luxury brands Audi and Bentley and one of the fastest growing markets for all brands.
It could now take more than three months for affected brands to obtain the new certifications and return to dealerships, some officials said.
