Anchor: The Transport Ministry has found a meaningful link between emissions and fuel efficiency in some of Volkswagen's diesel vehicles. It plans to conduct fuel efficiency tests on four Volkswagen models in the lab and on the road.
Our Kim In-kyung has more.
 
Report: The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has found a correlation between emissions and fuel efficiency in Volkswagen's Tiguan vehicles.
 
The finding follows last month's recall order of 125-thousand Volkswagen diesel vehicles that the Ministry of Environment found had cheated emissions tests.
 
The Transport Ministry said Thursday that it analyzed Tiguan's emissions and fuel efficiency data offered by the Environment Ministry. The results showed that installing an emissions reduction device affects a vehicle's fuel efficiency.
 
Experts believe activating the device uses up more fuel than when it is turned off.
 
The Transport Ministry plans to gauge the fuel efficiency of four Volkswagen models equipped with the EA189 old-generation engine, including the Tiguan and the Passat, in a test lab as well as on the road at the beginning of next year.
 
Because the Environment Ministry has banned additional sales of the four models, unsold cars have been sealed and are being kept by Volkswagen Korea.
 
The Transport Ministry will acquire the four models from Volkswagen Korea to use in its tests.
 
After a recall begins in the first-half of next year, the Transport Ministry will again test in the lab and on the road the four models that were ordered to have the emissions reduction device turned on at all times.
 
Consumers worry that any modifications made during a recall could lower the fuel efficiency of their cars.
 
The Transport Ministry orders a recall and levies a fine if the discrepancy between the actual and reported fuel efficiency exceeds five percent.
 
The analysis of the four models will be inferred and applied to all vehicles carrying the same old-generation engines. 
Kim In-kyung, KBS World Radio News.