The Environment Ministry says that Nissan Korea cheated emissions tests on its Qashqai model.
The ministry unveiled the assessment on Monday after analyzing 20 models of diesel-powered cars sold in the nation between December of last year and April of this year.
Qashqai is a sports-utility vehicle produced by Nissan Motor Company of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. It is equipped with a one-point-six liter Renault engine. Nissan Korea imports and sells the cars.
The ministry said that in both indoor and outdoor tests, the exhaust gas recirculation(EGR) valves of the Qashqai vehicles halted operations that pointed to a manipulation of the emissions reduction device.
EGR valves are used to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by recirculating a portion of an engine's exhaust gas back to the engine cylinders. Since 2010, such valves have usually been installed in diesel-powered cars.
Between November last year and May eleventh this year, 814 Qashqai models were sold in the nation.