- South Korean engineer Kim Kwang-ho was given US$24 million by the US authorities for reporting safety violations by Hyundai and Kia.
- This is the first time that a whistleblower has received an award from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- Safety violations involve design flaws in the engine, which are jamming or catching fire.
- For more stories, please visit Business Insider.
The U.S. automobile regulator announced on Tuesday that a former Hyundai Motor engineer was awarded a $24 million award for reporting safety violations by the South Korean automaker.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement that the money came from the $81 million fine paid to the United States by Hyundai Motor and its Kia subsidiary. statement. The engineer’s reward is up to 30% of the total cost that the law allows the organization to provide to the whistleblower.
This is also the first time that the government has issued a whistleblower award Laws passed in 2015 The NHTSA statement said that this motivates insiders to talk about car safety issues.
According to a report, Kim Gwang-ho, a security engineer based in Seoul, South Korea, submitted a report to the United States in 2016. Statement by Law Firm Constantine Cannon, On behalf of him.
Kim revealed that Hyundai failed to resolve the design flaws of its Theta II engine, which would jam and sometimes catch fire, his lawyer said.
King said in the statement: “I am glad that I have been fairly compensated for the risks I took to protect the owners of these defective cars, and thank the U.S. legal system for a plan to make this possible.”
He also said that he hopes his report will help “realize real safety improvements in Hyundai Motor and the industry as a whole.”
“In modern times, we often repeat a slogan:’Quality is our pride,'” Jin said. “I blew the whistle, so Hyundai and Kia will keep this promise.”
NHTSA stated that it issued a consent order to Hyundai and Kia in November 2020, assessing that the two companies postponed the recall of the car and “incorrectly reported key information about the engine.”
These automakers were subsequently fined US$210 million for violations involving 1.6 million affected vehicles. Reuters reported.
“The whistleblower plays a vital role in providing NHTSA with information about serious security issues hidden by the agency,” said NHTSA Deputy Director Dr. Steven Cliff (Steven Cliff). “This information is critical to public safety, and we are committed to rewarding those who provide us with information.”
Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
