S. Korea to Charge VW Exec for Failing to Recall Cheater Diesels

South Korea’s environmental ministry says it intends to file a criminal complaint against the head of Audi Volkswagen Korea for failing to recall 125,000 vehicles equipped with cheater diesel engines, the Financial Times reports.

The criminal complaint will be against Johannes Thammer, managing director of VW group operations in Korea. The ministry says a finding of guilty would expose him to as much as five years in prison and a fine of 30 million won ($25,000).

In November the ministry fined VW a record 14.1 billion won ($12 million) for selling Audi and VW brand vehicles in the country that were equipped with software designed to evade emission rules. The agency also ordered VW to promptly recall the 15 affected models.

VW submitted a recall plan on Jan. 6. Regulators rejected it, declaring VW failed to explain how the problem occurred and how it will be remedied. Audi VW Korea says it is “doing its utmost” to resolve the issue. But the ministry’s impatience mirrors that of U.S. regulatory agencies, who also have refused to accept VW’s remedies to date.