Volkswagen Korea bought hundreds of cars with faulty emissions devices right before the South Korean government banned sales of the problematic autos.

According to the local auto sales industry on Friday, the South Korean branch of the German carmaker bought 460 Volkswagen vehicles and registered them in mid-November with the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association.

Since the ban took effect after registration, Volkswagen Korea can legally sells the cars in the local used-car market.

The Environment Ministry said Volkswagen Korea was keeping the 460 cars near Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. It said there's no way to regulate sales of the cars in the used-car market.