South Korea to file criminal action against Volkswagen News
South Korea to file criminal action against Volkswagen

In an ongoing auto emissions scandal, South Korea announced Wednesday that it plans to fine Volkswagen (VW) [corporate website] an estimated USD $32 million over false advertisements [WSJ report]. The fine is the largest of its kind, and will be levied against the manufacturer for advertisements which ran from 2007-2015. The Fair Trade Commission [website] plans to file the complaint against five VW executives and impose an order to correct the advertisements.

Volkswagen has been implicated in a number of international disputes in 2016. In October a Spanish court ordered [JURIST report] VW and its subsidiary in Valladolid to pay €5,006 in a lawsuit regarding its emissions scandal. In September a VW engineer pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to defraud the US, commit wire fraud and violate the Clean Air Act by implementing software in the manufacturer’s vehicles that could cheat US emissions tests [JURIST report]. Also in September a German court said that VW faces over USD $8.2 billion in damage [JURIST report] claims from investors over its emissions scandal.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Montgomery started racially-integrated bus service after boycott

On December 21, 1956, buses in Montgomery, Alabama, started racially integrated service following federal court rulings ending on-board segregation. Bus boycott leaders Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and Rev. Ralph Abernathy were among the first riders under the new scheme. Learn about the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Stalin born

On December 21, 1879, Joseph Stalin was born in Gori, Georgia. In 1922, he became leader of the USSR until his death in 1953. During his time as Soviet dictator, Stalin industrialized his country, which he then led to become one of the world's two superpowers after WWII. Through his infamous purges, show trials and nationwide famines, Stalin also became responsible for millions of deaths.