Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon has slammed BMW for a series of car fires believed to have been caused by a faulty engine part.
Lee also saved a lot of criticism for the transport ministry,.. saying its response left a lot to be desired.
He demanded the automaker and the ministry get their acts together.
Cha Sang-mi has more.
South Korea's Prime Minister has rebuked the transport ministry and the German carmaker for their late response to a spate of car fires.

"BMWs are catching fire one after another. Many are criticizing BMW's voluntary recall and the lukewarm and haphazard response from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which has simply warned people not to drive them."

Amid the public outrage, Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon during his weekly meeting with government ministers on Tuesday, urged BMW Korea and the nation's transport ministry to come up with a "trustworthy" response.
He underscored the German automaker's late apology on Monday for its faulty engine part -- the Exhaust Gas Recirculation -- believed to be the cause of the fires, saying it's not enough to win back the people's trust,... and the issue cannot be wrapped up this easily.
He also blamed the transport ministry for its lackluster response.

"I call on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to look again at taking follow-up measures that our citizens can understand. Even if there are legislation constraints, in terms of administration, you've got to do everything you can."

The government is looking at making the carmaker pay punitive damages because current law makes it hard to protect consumers.
Cha Sang-mi, Arirang News.