[SEOUL] South Korea plans to hit Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Porsche with a total of US$63 million in fines for violating emission rules, its environment ministry said on Thursday.

BMW will face the largest penalty, of 60.8 billion won (S$361.3 million), the ministry said in a press statement, with the automaker accused of forging emission test documents for more than 80,000 units involving 28 models between 2012 and 2015.

The ministry said BMW also imported and sold some 8,000 cars between 2013 and 2016, which used emission-controlling parts that had not been approved.

It said Mercedes should expect fines of 2.9 billion won for selling 8,246 units of 21 models using such parts between 2011 and 2016.

Porsche is facing a 7.8 billion won penalty for selling 787 cars of five models using unapproved parts, it said.

AFP