“I Went to a Self-Service Gas Station and Ended Up Paying 1 Million Won in Repair Costs” — Employee’s Fuel-Mixing Mistake Affected 180 Vehicles

[Financial News] Approximately 180 vehicles were reportedly affected after gasoline and diesel were mixed and sold due to an employee’s mistake at a self-service gas station in Busan.
According to Yonhap News Agency on the 5th, at around 11 a.m. on the 25th of last month, an employee at a self-service gas station in Saha-gu, Busan, mistakenly put diesel into a gasoline storage tank while transferring fuel.
The mixed fuel was dispensed into vehicles through the pumps. The incident came to light the following day after drivers who had used the station experienced abnormal symptoms while driving and reported them to the station and the Korea Petroleum Quality & Distribution Authority.
One affected driver testified, “My vehicle developed problems, including strange noises while I was driving. When I took it to a repair shop, I was told that the fuel had been mixed.”
The gas station has so far identified as many as 180 affected vehicles. Repair costs are reportedly expected to range from about 1 million won to tens of millions of won, depending on the condition of each vehicle.
The gas station has stated that it will compensate the affected vehicle owners.
Saha-gu plans to decide whether to impose administrative sanctions on the gas station, and determine their severity, once the Korea Petroleum Quality & Distribution Authority releases its investigation results.
Under the current Petroleum and Alternative Fuel Business Act, businesses may face administrative sanctions for selling petroleum products that fail to meet quality standards or do not pass quality inspections.
If the product is confirmed to be counterfeit petroleum, the business may be suspended for three months. If it is determined to be substandard petroleum, a three-month suspension or warning may be imposed depending on whether there was intent or gross negligence. If the suspension is replaced with an administrative fine, the maximum penalties are 100 million won and 30 million won, respectively.
A Saha-gu official said, “We plan to impose administrative sanctions in accordance with the relevant laws once the investigation results are released.”
[email protected] Minseo Seong Reporter