Arrest Warrant Issued for Volkswagen Executive

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for a Volkswagen executive on charges of doctoring emissions test results.

Volkswagen's Korean subsidiary allegedly submitted test results for previously authorized models to environmental authorities in Korea since 2010.

The executive, identified by his surname Yoon, is the first Korean Volkswagen executive to face arrest since prosecutors started investigating the German automaker on charges of emissions test tampering.

According to prosecutors, Yoon submitted test results for previously authorized models instead of new cars scheduled to go on sale here. The tests covered emissions, fuel economy and sound levels.

Prosecutors believe Yoon twice switched the electronic control units of Golf gasoline version as Volkswagen sought a re-evaluation by the government after the hatchback failed emissions tests in July 2014. He was also allegedly behind the import of 461 cars from January to October 2014 that did not pass noise tests.

Yoon has told prosecutors that Volkswagen headquarters told him to tamper with the ECU software.