At the regular press conference, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Pham Thu Hang addressed questions regarding Vietnam’s handling of the case involving two South Korean women accused of assaulting two Vietnamese women in Hanoi.

Authorities investigating incident at Hanoi photobooth

“The relevant Vietnamese authorities are verifying and clarifying information related to the case and will handle it in accordance with Vietnamese law,” said Pham Thu Hang.

The incident, which took place on the evening of July 11, was first brought to public attention when a Facebook post alleged that two South Korean women physically attacked two Vietnamese women at a photobooth shop in Me Tri, Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi - a location popular with South Korean patrons.

According to the account, Ms. T. and her friend had booked a session and were within their allotted time when the two South Korean women waiting outside the booth began aggressively rushing them. One of the South Korean women then reportedly stormed into the booth, grabbing Ms. T.'s friend by the hair and punching and kicking her repeatedly. When Ms. T. tried to intervene, she was also threatened with violence.

Other customers at the shop reportedly witnessed the assault, but staff did not intervene. The entire incident was captured on the shop’s security cameras.

Company issues apology, fires involved employees

On July 16, Segyung Vina - the employer of the South Korean women - issued a formal apology and confirmed that the individuals involved had been dismissed from their positions at the company's headquarters in South Korea.

In its statement, the company apologized to the victims and stated that compensation had been offered. It also introduced a new code of conduct applicable to all South Korean employees both in Vietnam and at its headquarters when traveling abroad. Additionally, Segyung Vina announced that it would conduct regular training sessions to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The incident has sparked public outrage in both Vietnam and South Korea. Major South Korean media outlets have covered the story, prompting negative reactions from the South Korean public toward the violent behavior exhibited by the two citizens in Vietnam.

Tran Thuong