South Korea fears country's image 'collapsed' after Vietnamese bride abuse case

In an interview with the national news agency on July 8, Mr. Yoon Sang-ho, Chairman of the Korean Association in Vietnam, expressed his concern that "the tower that Mr. Park Hang-seo has built over the past two years will collapse this time."

He said the incident of a Vietnamese bride being beaten by her Korean husband, causing broken bones, last weekend is causing great concern and outrage among the Vietnamese media and people.

According to him, this is a crisis for Korean society and the efforts to create a friendly atmosphere between the two countries that coach Park, who is still leading the Vietnamese football team, has tried to cultivate over time could go down the drain.

"The Park Hang-seo syndrome has created strong support for Korean citizens and businesses operating in Vietnam. We feel very sad that this happened," Mr. Yoon said. "The Korean government must properly punish the abuser and actively protect the victim."

Meanwhile, Mr. Kim Han-yong, Chairman of the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hanoi, also commented that the above violence was "a really bad thing". He warned that the government and people need to prepare mentally to prevent the "anti-Korean" wave.

"In particular, Vietnamese people will pay close attention to the words and statements of Korean diplomats," he said.

A 36-year-old Korean husband allegedly beat his 30-year-old Vietnamese wife for three hours while she was drunk at their home on the evening of July 4. The assault, witnessed by their 2-year-old son, left her with cracked ribs and bruises all over her body, requiring about four weeks of treatment.

On July 8, the man was ordered to be detained for eight days by the Gwangju City Court in South Jeollanam Province while he was investigated for causing serious injury and violating child laws. In court, he said "sorry" and explained that his wife's poor Korean and "couldn't understand what he said" caused him to lose his temper.

However, the victim said this was not the first time she had been beaten. The wife had endured it for the sake of her child's future, but this time, when he was not looking, she secretly placed her phone on a diaper bag in the living room and recorded the attack as evidence. On July 5, she sent the video to an acquaintance, who then reported it to the police and posted it on social media.

The incident was closely reported by the press and many major Korean television channels. On the website of the South Korean presidential Blue House, a petition asking the authorities to severely punish the husband has attracted about 10,000 signatures of support.

South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon expressed regret over the violence and promised to step up efforts to protect human rights and safety for Vietnamese living in Korea. Korean National Police Agency Director Min Gap-ryong also pledged to investigate the attack to the end.

Gender Minister Jin Sun-mee visited the Vietnamese woman at the hospital yesterday and said the government would redouble its efforts to support her. She also pledged to set up an emergency support team to provide legal advice and interpretation for the victim and her family.