Environment ministry finds violations at 23 vehicle inspection centers

The environment ministry said that a first-half nationwide inspection found illegal or inadequate practices at 23 of 201 private vehicle inspection centers selected for signs of possible substandard checks.

The three-week inspection, which began June 8, involved the transport ministry and local governments.

Authorities selected centers because they had inspection failure rates lower than those at other centers, markedly higher shares of commercial-vehicle inspections or frequent complaints about vehicle inspections.

Inadequate recording of inspection scenes was the most common breach, with six cases, or 26.1 percent of the findings. Five cases, or 21.7 percent, involved skipping part of an inspection, while three, or 13 percent, involved facilities or equipment that failed to meet designation standards.

Inspectors also found that an operator had altered an emissions-measuring device from its approved configuration. Environmental measuring devices must receive type approval, and changes to key specifications require approval.

Depending on the seriousness of the violation, local governments may order on-site corrections or suspend an offending center's operations for between 10 and 30 days. Seven technical staff involved in illegal practices may also be suspended from their duties.

"Continued joint inspections by the government and local authorities show that serious violations have decreased from the second half of 2025, while minor cases account for most of the findings," said Kim Jin-sik, director general for air quality at the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment.

"We will continue to work closely with relevant agencies to establish proper order in vehicle inspections and improve the effectiveness of inspections to protect public safety and the environment," Kim said.