Belgium recollects ambassador to South Korea after his spouse is filmed slapping a store assistant

Lescouhier’s spouse, Xiang Xueqiu, bought right into a confrontation with two store assistants in April. Police in Seoul initially mentioned she couldn’t be prosecuted because of diplomatic immunity, however in its assertion, Brussels mentioned this had been waived.

Lescouhier has been ambassador to Seoul since 2018. Whereas each he and the embassy have apologized a number of occasions for the incident, it has continued to hold over Belgium’s relationship with South Korea.

The altercation befell on April 9 with CCTV footage broadly shared on-line exhibiting Xiang arguing with the 2 retailer assistants after one of many ladies requested her a few jacket she was sporting, mistakenly believing she could have stolen it.

The worker, who wished to stay nameless, advised CNN earlier she could not perceive Xiang and tried to take a look at the label contained in the jacket. When she confronted Xiang on the road exterior the shop, she noticed the jacket was not from the store. She apologized and got here again inside, however was pursued by Xiang.

Within the video, Xiang may be seen gesticulating angrily and shoving one of many clerks earlier than slapping her throughout the face. A photograph shared with CNN confirmed the girl was left with a big crimson welt on her face.

“We are able to perceive her anger however that doesn’t justify her violent habits,” the worker mentioned, including that the girl who was slapped suffered ringing in her ear and “psychological anguish.”