A Volkswagen outside a dealership in Seoul, South Korea, earlier this month. The auto maker… Governments, investors and car owners around the world are gaining ground in efforts to pressure Volkswagen AG VLKAY -0.38 % for settlements over its emissions-cheating scandal, aiming for terms similar to a $15 billion U.S. agreement. From Australia to South Korea to Ireland, governments and consumers are ratcheting up legal and regulatory demands in part because similar moves in the U.S. yielded a speedy shift to contrition from combativeness. In many of the countries where Volkswagen still faces legal action, it is arguing the defeat device on its diesel engines wasn’t illegal or the car emissions didn’t violate local rules, according to court records and documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. If the efforts succeed, the costs to resolve the diesel scandal could rise well beyond the €18.4 billion ($20.5 billion) the company […]