- Xiang Xueqiu, wife of Belgian ambassador Peter Lescouhier, was caught on film slapping a shopkeeper in Seoul, South Korea.
- According to reports, she has been accused of shoplifting.
- In a statement, Xiang’s husband said she is unable to cooperate with police investigations because she is currently “under medical care following a stroke.”
A security camera footage recently went viral on social media after it sparked outrage among South Koreans. In the said video, the wife of a Belgian ambassador can be seen slapping a shopkeeper in a Yongsan-gu, Seoul clothing store.
The assault happened soon after the worker tried to stop the ambassador’s wife from approaching another staff member. Apparently, they suspected her of shoplifting. The woman later pulled the other employee’s arm and hit the back of her head. When the shopkeeper tried calming her down, she ended up getting slapped in the face.
The attacker has since been identified by authorities as 63-year-old Xiang Xueqiu, wife of the Belgian ambassador.
While the police have confirmed that they have received an assault complaint and that they wanted to question Xiang, they still have not managed to get in touch with her. According to the Belgian embassy, she has been hospitalized.
Naturally, angry netizens made noise online to demand justice. Many have also commented that they want Ambassador Peter Lescouhier and his wife to leave South Korea, following the incident.
You can watch the viral video here:
After almost 2 weeks of silence, Lescouhier issued a statement, saying he “sincerely regrets the incident” and “wants to apologize” on behalf of his wife.
“No matter the circumstances, the way she reacted is unacceptable,” he added.
So far, Xiang remains unable to cooperate in the investigations “as she is under medical care following a stroke she suffered in the beginning of last week,” the statement also said.
