The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Tuesday it will launch a pilot program this month to directly certify the safety of electric vehicle (EV) batteries through a government-run certification system. The system is designed to enhance EV safety by having the government test and certify the safety of EV batteries in advance. Full-fledged implementation will begin in February 2025. The program will mark a shift in policy following the current self-certification system since 2003 that allows manufacturers to confirm that their vehicles met safety standards before selling them. A total of five companies will participate in the pilot program, including Hyundai Motor Co., Kia Corp. and LG Energy Solution Ltd. The early trial program was decided in the wake of EV safety concerns triggered by a fire that began in a parked Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle on Aug. 1, which destroyed a parking garage inside an apartment complex in Incheon, 27 kilometers west of Seoul, while either completely destroyi ng or damaging over 100 cars Source: Yonhap News Agency