| An individual & GM Korea | |
|---|---|
| Lead NCP | Korea, Republic of (South) |
| Supporting NCP(s) | |
| Description | Specific instance alleging a non-observance of the OECD Guidelines. |
| Theme(s) | General policies, Disclosure, Human rights, Combating bribery, bribe solicitation and extortion, Consumer interests, Competition, Taxation |
| Date | 8 Nov 2022 |
| Host country(ies) | Kazakhstan |
| Source | Individuals |
| Industry sector | Manufacturing |
| Status | Not accepted |
| Summary | Read the Final Statement published by the NCP on 17 March 2023: English On 8 November 2022, Adiy Baimuldinov, an individual, submitted a specific instance to the Korean NCP (KNCP) against GM Korea, a vehicle manufacturing company, alleging that GM Korea did not observe the General Policies (Chapter II), Disclosure (Chapter III) , Human Rights (Chapter IV), Combating Bribery, Bribe Solicitations and Extortion (Chapter VII), Consumer Interests (Chapter VIII), Competition (Chapter X) and Taxation (Chapter XI) provisions of the Guidelines. Specifically, the issue relates to the assigning of an invalid vehicle identity number code (hereafter the “VIN code”) to a Chevrolet-Cruze manufactured by the enterprise and sold at a local car dealership in Kazakhstan, resulting in the submitter facing material and moral damages. On 1 December 2022, the KNCP and the NCP of Kazakhstan held a video conference to inquire about VIN code systems in Kazakhstan and discuss how to coordinate on this specific instance. The KNCP shared the information submitted with both parties, undertook translation and conducted an initial assessment based on communication between parties and the documents received. On 17 March 2023, the KNCP published an initial assessment deciding not to accept the specific instance. The KNCP made this decision as it could not establish whether the issues raised were material and substantiated and, the KNCP did not find any specific details, facts, or grounds for concluding that the enterprise assigned an invalid VIN code. Additionally, the KNCP found it difficult to establish whether there was a link between the activities of the enterprise and the issues raised, as the alleged assignment of an invalid VIN code, as well as the concrete damage faced by the complainant, could not be confirmed. Finally, the KNCP could not establish whether considering the issues raised would contribute to the purposes and effectiveness of the Guidelines. The specific instance is now closed and no follow-up is planned. #ESCR #consumerhealthandsafety #automotive #coordination #localsubsidiary |
