Segyung Vina, the manufacturing company where one of the two South Koreans involved worked, announced the employee's dismissal and issued an apology to the Vietnamese people and those affected by the incident.

Jeon Sung-wook, CEO of Segyung Vina, said in a press release on 16/7, "We will do our utmost to offer our sincere apologies to the victim and provide maximum support for the aftermath".

The South Korean tourist (striped shirt) assaulting the Vietnamese woman at a photo booth in Hanoi on 11/7. Video screenshot

According to Jeon, the employee involved in the incident was based at the company’s headquarters in South Korea and was on assignment at the Vietnam branch. The altercation occurred during her business trip.

The CEO of Segyung Vina also said the company will establish a code of conduct for employees on overseas assignments and conduct regular training for all domestic and international staff to prevent similar incidents.

An official from the South Korean Embassy in Vietnam said local police are actively investigating the incident, and the embassy is cooperating closely.

South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced it is in contact with the Vietnamese government to ensure the incident is handled appropriately and avoids negatively impacting the relationship between the two countries.

The altercation occurred on 11/7 and stemmed from the intoxicated tourist urging the Vietnamese group to hurry up with their photo session. She then suddenly attacked, punching and hitting the victim with her bag.

Many South Koreans expressed outrage when the incident spread online. Yonhap News TV called it a "national embarrassment". On major online forums like Theqoo, thousands of comments called for strict action, with many hoping she would be arrested and returned to Vietnam to take responsibility.

Mai Phuong (The Korea Times)