Toyota to recall 13,000 cars in South Korea

Japanese carmaker Toyota Motor Corp said Tuesday it was to recall 13,000 vehicles in South Korea, following an order by the Transportation Ministry.

Hisao Nakabayashi, the head of Toyota’s South Korean unit, offered an apology for the company’s slow reaction to local concerns about potential safety risks involving floor mats and accelerator pedals.

“There is an extremely slim chance that the floor mats in question could cause problems,” Nakabayashi said. “We’ve still decided to recall our cars and take voluntary precautionary measures.”

He promised free repair services from April 19 for the affected 12,984 cars, which include Lexus ES350s, Camry cars and Camry Hybrid cars.

Toyota had to recall more than 8 million vehicles worldwide in recent months due to safety concerns.