Huynh Mai and her Korean husband (Photo: Tien phong)

VietNamNet Bridge – In an interview with a Vietnamese online newspaper, Lee Chul-hee, Consul General of the Republic of Korea (RoK) in HCM City, said that Huynh Mai’s husband had been charged and would be tried at Dae Jeon Court.

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What do you think about the case of Vietnamese bride Huynh Mai, who was killed by her Korean husband?

We sincerely present our condolences to the case of Ms. Huynh Mai. That’s a very regretful and heart-breaking incident. Once again, we offer our condolences to the family of Ms. Huynh Mai.

What has the Korean diplomatic representative agency in Vietnam done to share the pain and to protect the interests of the victim and her family?

The burial observances and formalities related to the case of Ms. Huynh Mai are not yet finished. If her relatives want to go to the RoK, we are willing to help the family to fulfill visa formalities quickly. The Korean Consulate General, the Korean Vietnamese Association, and the community of Korean people in HCM City are seeking ways to help the family of Ms. Huynh Mai.

The greatest expectation of Huynh Mai’s family is bringing her ashes to Vietnam. What will the Consulate General do to help the victim’s family fulfill their expectation?

Ms. Huynh Mai’s ashes will be transferred to her family when the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK and a committee established by 90 social organisations in Korea to deal with Huynh Mai’s funeral observances agree.

According to some newspapers dated August 14, the Vietnamese Embassy in RoK asked Korean police to investigate to the roots the murder case of Ms. Huynh Mai, define the crime of the husband and then transfer her ashes to Vietnam.

On August 19, a ceremony was organised at CheonAn to remember Ms. Huynh Mai. Since the press reported about Ms. Huynh Mai, many Korean people and social organisations have offered their condolences to her family and asked competent bodies to seek measures to prevent similar cases in the future. Clubs of Vietnamese-Korean couples and social organisations in Korea are raising funds to support Ms. Huynh Mai’s family.

Under Korean law, how will Huynh Mai’s husband be punished for murdering his wife?

Murdering a wife is a mortal offence under our laws. Ms. Huynh Mai’s husband has been charged in Cheon An. The local Dae Jeon Court and related agencies are investigating and will try the case soon. The Korean government will carry out the law justly and strictly.

From the case of Huynh Mai and many cases reported before that some Vietnamese workers in Vietnam were beaten by their Korean bosses, it is said that Korean men are fond of violence. What do you think about this comment?

It is absolutely wrong. In all nations, societies and organisations in the world, there are always several members who are amoral and do wrong things. It is incorrect to assess the whole members of a country, a society, an organisation based on particular cases. Most Korean men don’t employ violence, have high sense of responsibility and are faithful.

RoK has some policies to assist Vietnamese brides. What are they?

Thirteen agencies of the Korean government have co-ordinated to work out measures to support foreign brides in Korea.

The Korean government is compiling a law to control match-making companies to prevent problems associated with match-making services and to protect the interests of brides and bridegrooms.

Accordingly, the registration form will be replaced by licencing. Match-making companies will not be permitted to offer employment services any more and be banned from making false advertisements and disclosing personal information.

In terms of information, we have published some books in Vietnamese, made some films and printed leaflets on international marriages to deliver to all agricultural cooperatives throughout RoK, where many Vietnamese brides are living.

The Korean Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is implementing an interview and orientation programme on foreign girls who are about to marry Korean men. Under this programme, they will be provided with personal information about their Korean partners and be interviewed carefully to determine whether their marriages are true or not to protect both foreign women and Korean men. This programme will be carried out in Vietnam as of 2008.

The Korean Embassy and the Korean Consulate General, when issuing visas, will also deliver leaflets with phone numbers of agencies that Vietnamese brides can call in emergency cases.

(Source: VNE)