On the evening of October 20, several major South Korean news outlets, including SBS News, The Korea Times, The Korea Herald, and MK, reported a serious allegation: Senior Lieutenant General Hoàng Xuân Chiến, Việt Nam’s Deputy Minister of National Defense, was accused of sexually harassing a South Korean female official.
This incident is notable as it is not the first instance of a Vietnamese official facing sexual harassment allegations during an overseas mission; previous cases have involved arrests abroad or extradition files opened by local authorities.
Should the allegations against General Chiến be substantiated, the case would once again sound the alarm regarding the mindset and working conduct of Việt Nam’s bureaucratic class. This is a group that has frequently attempted to quietly suppress the media to “handle things behind closed doors.”
On a deeper level, cases of sexual harassment involving officials expose a deeply entrenched and toxic domestic tradition that desperately needs reform: a grotesquely masculine society where women in subordinate positions are often treated as mere instruments for the amusement of their male superiors.
“When the Roof Leaks from the Top”
According to SBS News, General Hoàng Xuân Chiến is accused of sexually harassing a female official from South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense. The incident allegedly occurred during the closing banquet of the Seoul Defense Dialogue on September 11 at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul.
Citing sources from the South Korean Defense Ministry, the outlet reported that the Vietnamese deputy minister approached the Korean official—despite being seated at a different table—and made inappropriate remarks and gestures.
The South Korean Ministry of National Defense deemed this a serious incident, occurring within the framework of a large-scale official diplomatic event. Consequently, the ministry summoned Việt Nam’s defense attaché in Seoul. While the Vietnamese representative pledged that such behavior would not recur, General Chiến departed South Korea one day later, effectively halting the investigation.
This incident follows two similar cases last year that resulted in official investigation findings by host countries, further tarnishing the image of Vietnamese officials.
- New Zealand: In December 2024, AP and RFA reported that two officials from Việt Nam’s Ministry of Public Security were accused of sexually assaulting and harassing two female restaurant employees in Wellington. The incident occurred in March 2024, prior to Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính’s official visit. New Zealand police gathered sufficient evidence but prosecution was obstructed, as the officials left the country before formal charges were filed and no extradition treaty exists between New Zealand and Việt Nam. In February 2025, police announced extradition documents had been prepared, and the case remains a diplomatic issue.
- Chile: During President Lương Cường’s official visit in November last year, one of his bodyguards was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing a Chilean hotel employee, as reported by RFA citing La Tercera. The individual, later identified by Người Việt and Thời Báo as Lieutenant Colonel Lại Đắc Tuấn of the Presidential Guard Command, was immediately deported by the Chilean court and banned from the country for two years.
A Grotesque Masculine Culture
Vietnamese people have likely grown accustomed to the implicit meanings behind phrases such as “going to entertain clients” or “meeting with partners” in workplace settings—especially when the ones assigned are female employees. When women are told to do such things, they are expected to please and cater to men in higher positions. Refusal could easily jeopardize their job prospects or professional standing.
This familiarity stems not only from a shared, unspoken understanding but also from repeated mentions in the media. As journalist Hoàng Minh Trí once wrote in VnExpress:
“This culture has become so pervasive that the farther one travels beyond the big cities, the more disturbing it appears. Guests simply sit still, while the host’s team rounds up every woman in the office—from the accountant, to the receptionist, to the administrative aide—to raise their glasses and toast the guests’ health ‘one hundred percent.’ And almost by reflex, every empty glass ends with a handshake.”
An article in Tuổi Trẻ Cuối Tuần once expressed similar concern over this distasteful custom. The piece quoted a female employee in the cultural sector saying:
“There are gatherings with guests that serve no purpose of exchange, only the personal interests of the leaders. Some banquets are little more than opportunities for the bosses to flaunt their authority before their guests and to parade female staff as the organization’s ‘spiritual assets.’”
In industries where appearance plays a defining role—such as entertainment—the story grows even more complex. Women in these fields sometimes even compete for the ‘opportunity’ to entertain clients, as it is seen as a ticket to career advancement. This reveals a mindset of acceptance—or resignation—to a practice that should have long been left in the past. Even today, many Vietnamese women are still treated as objects of amusement, expected to submit themselves to the whims of men in positions of power.
A 2023 survey by Better Work conducted across 100 textile and garment factories in Việt Nam revealed that 60% of respondents had experienced some form of emotional harm from sexual harassment in the workplace. Alarmingly, 10% reported being direct victims of such harassment. According to the organization, sexual harassment often occurs within a hierarchical and patriarchal culture, shaped by a lack of serious recognition of the issue and a habit of silence, where most women live in fear and dare not speak out.
This grotesque masculinity, pervading Vietnamese society, likely stems from a deeply rooted tradition of hierarchy and patriarchy—a remnant of an old social order that failed to evolve.
Take, for instance, the recent uproar. When news of the allegations against General Hoàng Xuân Chiến first appeared on the PHƯƠT KOREA social media page, countless commenters immediately rushed to defend him, with many turning their criticism instead toward South Korea. A well-known KOL, Tifosi, even published an article defending the deputy minister without a shred of skepticism—going so far as to craft a conspiracy theory accusing South Korea of deliberately fabricating the story to tarnish Việt Nam’s reputation.
While it may still be too early to draw conclusions about the allegations against General Chiến, the way a segment of Vietnamese social media reacted reveals much about collective attitudes. The comments and posts show that many people felt neither outrage nor empathy for the victim, nor any moral indignation toward conduct that should be condemned.
When large numbers of people share the same mindset, they come to define the moral and cultural face of society. There is little doubt that the face of Vietnamese society, as it stands, is one that must change. The most meaningful change must begin at the top—with those at the “roof” of the nation’s social hierarchy.
As long as the name Việt Nam continues to bear the shame brought by the actions of those in power—men hailed as the supposed “elite” of the state—the grotesque face of masculinity in society will remain unchanged. Until that face transforms, women will continue to be the most vulnerable, whether in workplaces, public spaces, or even in the private corners of their lives.
Bối Thủy wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on Oct. 21, 2025. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyright for the English version of this article.