VietNamNet Bridge - After seven years of marriage, Mrs. Truc was alleged to "willful suicide" in her husband's house in the city of Busan. The victim’s family has asked the authorities to clarify the incident.

Truc and her Korean husband. Photo provided by her family.

In the afternoon of April 28, Mr. Phan Van Luc, from Hau Giang province, was present in Busan (South Korea) to work with the authorities to take the body of her sister, Pham Thi Truc, 31, to Vietnam. Over the phone, he said that the local police and doctors concluded that Truc killed herself by “hanging at the stairs" of her husband’s house.

"When the coffin was opened, I saw many bruises on her neck. The local authorities said Truc was found dead with a scarf tied around her neck. I do not believe that my sister committed suicide but I could not speak out because of language barriers. I have to wait for formal written conclusions," Luc said.

Truc’s mother, Mrs. Tran Thi Chi, 71, said eight years ago, Truc followed her friends to HCM City to work for a footwear manufacturing company in District 6. The following year, she asked her parents’ permission to get married a Korean man named Jeong Dong Sedk.

In August 2006, a group wedding was held for Truc and six other girls from the Mekong Delta with six Korean men. The wedding gifts of the brides were a pair of gold earrings and a gold ring. Truc’s family was invited to the wedding and the bridegroom gave his mother in law VND2.5 million ($200). Later that year, Truc was guaranteed to go to Korea and since then she returned home twice.

In Korea, Truc worked at a restaurant. She called home and told her mother that she was happy.

According to Mrs. Chi, nearly a year ago Truc’s father died but she could not return home to attend the funeral because her mother in law did not allow. "Truc called home, cried and said that her mother in law insulted her because she wanted to go home to attend her father’s funeral. I tried to advise her to put up with her husband’s family to keep harmonious family," Mrs. Chi said.

Four days ago, Chi’s family received a phone call informing of Truc’s death. The family sent Luc to Korea but they did not know the name or the home address of Truc’s husband. They had asked for the assistance of the Vietnamese and Korean authorities.

"I do not believe that Truc committed suicide. Only two days before her death she called home and talked with me normally. She also boasted to save some money for her two daughters and she dreamed to return home to live when the kids grow up. I hope the Korean and Vietnamese authorities to investigate her death," the mother said.

Le Hang