Envoy to Vietnam fired for violating anti-bribery law

Kim Do-hyun, South Korea's ambassador to Vietnam, speaks with Hankook Ilbo in Hanoi, Vietnam. Korea Times file

By Park Ji-won

South Korea's ambassador to Vietnam, Kim Do-hyun, has been dismissed for violating the anti-graft law and other misconduct, government officials said.

The government's Central Disciplinary Committee decided on his dismissal for reportedly receiving a free hotel stay and airline tickets for his family from local companies to attend a golf event in October and thus violating the Kim Young-ran Act that strictly prohibits public officials from receiving gifts and donations over a certain amount.

The committee also concluded that Kim misused his power by using abusive language against his embassy officials. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' disciplinary committee has sent the case to the central organization.

Kim plans to file a suit against the decision. If the decision is approved, he would be unable to work as a public servant for three years.

Kim, 53, was appointed ambassador in April last year after serving as a Samsung Electronics executive in charge of smartphone sales in Europe. He was a diplomat at the ministry between 1993 and 2012.

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