The South Korean automakers Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. agreed to pay the federal government a combined penalty of $300 million for a violation of the Clean Air Act and overstating vehicle fuel-economy standards on 1.2 million cars, Justice Department and E. P. A. officials said last Monday. This is the largest such penalty of its kind. The settlement could create a pricey precedent and is meant to send a clear message to other automakers. More »