The latest move by the TS follows the likes of Germany, where mystery shoppers have been deployed to vehicle safety inspections for some time. (Image: Kobiz Media)
SEOUL, Nov. 23 (Korea Bizwire) – Mystery shoppers will visit vehicle inspection stations across South Korea from next year to keep an eye on inspectors.
“From the second half of next year, mystery shoppers will be deployed to vehicle inspection stations owned by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority and private companies, to help tackle corrupt practices,” the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS) said on Wednesday.
The TS mystery shoppers will bring faulty vehicles to vehicle inspection stations without any warning, to verify whether or not inspectors identify the issues.
The latest move by the TS follows the likes of Germany, where mystery shoppers have been deployed to vehicle safety inspections for some time.
When TS officials visited Germany last year, they learned the merits of the mystery shopper system and decided to follow suit in South Korea.
During this year’s international car inspection seminar this month, officials from German safety inspection company TUV NORD vouched for the need of undercover tests such as mystery shoppers to help gain trust in vehicle safety inspections.
The TS mystery shoppers will bring faulty vehicles to vehicle inspection stations without any warning, to verify whether or not inspectors identify the issues. (Image: TS)
The seminar was held by the TS and attended by over 100 experts and officials from the automobile safety industry both at home and abroad, including FSD, TUV NORD, and MAHA, with a focus on the need for safety inspections to weed out car accidents caused by technical problems.
“With the introduction of mystery shoppers, we hope to raise public trust in vehicle safety inspections,” the TS said.
M.H.Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
