According to Yonhap News,

(SEOUL=Yonhap News) Volkswagen Group appointed a sales and marketing expert to lead its South Korean operations that have been halted since July last year due to the diesel emissions scandal.

The Wolfsburg-based carmaker named René Koneberg, formerly in charge of Audi Hong Kong & Macau, as co-group managing director of Audi Volkswagen Korea Ltd. from Sept. 1, the Korean unit said in a statement.

His appointment appears to be the German carmaker's preemptive efforts to restore consumer confidence in its Audi and Volkswagen vehicles seriously hurt by the infamous 'diesel gate.'

"Audi Volkswagen Korea will do all it can to restore our customers' trust and confidence in a responsible manner, while taking various measures including enhancing the company processes and transparency," the new co-group managing director said in the statement.


Audi Volkswagen Korea co-Group Managing Director René Koneberg (Photo courtesy of Audi Volkswagen Korea) (Yonhap)

Koneberg, 49, who joined Volkswagen Group in 2000, will jointly lead the Korean business with Marcus Hellmann. His predecessor Johannes Thammer left the position in late July.

Hellmann will continue to focus on homologation (or certification), legal, compliance and regulatory matters, while Koneberg will focus on sales and marketing activities, an Audi Volkswagen spokeswoman said by phone.

In August, Audi Volkswagen obtained certifications from the environment ministry for the sales resumption of its models in Korea.

To fully resume sales here, it has to receive certifications from the transport and commerce ministries as well. The German automaker is widely expected to re-introduce its vehicles in the Korean market as early as late this year.

In July last year, Volkswagen Group voluntarily stopped selling its vehicles in Korea as the Seoul government announced it will ban the sale of all Audi and Volkswagen cars while imposing heavy fines on the German carmaker after it admitted to having falsified U.S. emissions tests in some of its diesel-powered cars.

Currently, Audi and Volkswagen vehicles are not available at local dealerships.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr

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