The government said Friday that it wrongfully calculated data on fine dust emissions by LG Chem Ltd., days after it unveiled the outcome of its probe into chemical firms' alleged manipulation of pollutant emissions.

LG Chem and five chemical firms are alleged to have colluded with four measurement agencies to rig data on emissions of air pollutants over the past four years, the environment ministry and a local environment agency said Wednesday.

In particular, it said LG Chem manipulated records on the emission of vinyl chloride so as to show no problem even though it was discharged at levels 173 times higher than the standard.

But the ministry reversed its findings about LG Chem, saying that an unspecified company should be blamed for emitting vinyl chloride 173 times higher than the threshold.