Belgian ambassador says wife will soon turn up for police probe over assault incident

Belgian Ambassador to Seoul Peter Lescouhier on Monday notified government officials here that his wife will soon turn up to face a police investigation over an assault incident.

Police have been looking into allegations that Lescouhier's wife slapped an apparel store employee in the face and another employee in the back of her head early this month. The employees had asked the wife if she paid for the clothes she was wearing at the time because the shop was selling the same apparel.

The ambassador formally apologized for the incident on behalf of his wife in a press release last Thursday, but he said at that time his wife was unable to respond to the police investigation because she had been hospitalized over a stroke.

In his formal notification earlier in the day, Lescouhier informed the foreign ministry of his wife's recent discharge from the hospital as well her intention to cooperate with the police investigation, according to officials.

"The ambassador personally made a phone call (to the foreign ministry) and said he will arrange the time with the police and have his wife undergo an investigation,'" an official at the ministry said.

During the call, the foreign ministry told the ambassador that his wife's direct apology to the victims would help better resolve the incident.

In response, the ambassador reportedly said his wife is fully aware of the need to apologize to the victims. (Yonhap)