Number of Cars Recalled Has Doubled from Last Year

The number of cars recalled in South Korea this year has already amounted to 850,000 units to date, reaching the total figure last year. According to data from the Transportation Safety Authority on Aug. 19, 849,149 vehicles of 265 models have been recalled so far this year. Last year, a total of 869,808 units – 733,175 vehicles of 32 domestic models and 136,633 vehicles of 400 foreign models – were recalled. This year, 745,829 of 25 models were domestically produced cars, while 103,320 of 240 models were imported vehicles, out of the total.

The number of cars recalled between Jan. to Aug. this year marks a 54 percent spike from the same period last year, while the number of car models grew 10.9 percent. Last year, a total of 551,270 units – 487,508 vehicles of 17 domestic models and 63,762 vehicles of 2244 foreign models – have been recalled between Jan. to Aug. A total of 392,053 units of SM3 and SM5 passenger cars from Renault Samsung Motors Co. were recalled, due to engine mount defects this year, showing the highest figure.

Market experts attributed the increase to intensified penalties for failures to issue necessary safety recalls and to active and voluntary steps by manufacturers to correct problems.

Jeong Eui-kyung, director of the motor vehicles management division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, “The total number of cars recalled this year is expected to exceed 1 million units.”