The government has launched an investigation on imported Mercedes Benz vehicles amid speculation that some of the vehicles have potential emissions-manipulating software.
 
The Environment Ministry said on Friday that it believes that there are more than 40 types of Mercedes Benz models suspected of having such software in South Korea. The ministry said it is currently trying to find out how many units of such models were sold in the nation.
 
The ministry’s probe comes after German media, including Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper and WDR and NDR news organizations, reported earlier on Wednesday that German automaker, Daimler AG, appears to have sold more than one million units of Mercedes Benz vehicles equipped with the software that can be used to cheat on emissions tests to Europe and overseas markets.
 
The German media added that German prosecutors are carrying out investigations based on the belief that the manipulating software has been loaded on two types of engines, OM 642 and OM651.
 
An official of the Environment Ministry said that roughly 48 types of cars with the two engines are estimated to have entered South Korea. The official said the ministry’s investigation is focused on determining whether the engines do indeed have emissions-rigging software.