Belgian Ambassador to S Korea apologises after wife hits sales staff, Latest World News - The New Paper
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Belgian Ambassador to S Korea apologises after wife hits sales staff

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SEOUL : Belgium's Ambassador to South Korea apologised yesterday after footage showed his wife striking two boutique staff in a dispute over shoplifting.

The envoy's wife tried on items in the Seoul store before walking out, prompting an assistant to run after her to ask about an item she was wearing, reportedly triggering the confrontation.

CCTV footage broadcast by South Korea's SBS showed her pulling at one employee's arm and hitting her in the head before slapping another worker, who tried to intervene, across the face.

The incident caused widespread anger in South Korea.

As the wife of an ambassador, she enjoys diplomatic immunity, but the embassy said she would cooperate with the police.

Ambassador Peter Lescouhier "sincerely regrets the incident involving his wife", the embassy said in a bilingual Facebook post, adding that he "wants to apologise on her behalf".- AFP

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