HCMC – Police at the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) have arrested Vu Hong Nam, who used to serve as deputy foreign minister and ambassador to Japan, on alleged charges of involvement in scandalous Covid repatriation flights.
This is one of the two high-profile arrests made today, December 22, by the MPS regarding flights arranged at the height of Covid-19 to repatriate Vietnamese nationals stranded abroad. The other who was arrested is Chu Xuan Dung, vice chairman of the Hanoi City People’s Committee.
Vu Hong Nam was charged with taking bribes. Pham Bich Hang, director of Vina Michi, was also detained on alleged charges of giving bribes.
Nam became deputy foreign minister in 2014 while serving as chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese. In August 2018, he was picked as ambassador to Japan.
It’s pleasing to see the Vietnamese Government taking direct action to root out corruption. I hope this quest extends to what constitutes a valid teaching certificate (TESOL / TEFL) when a foreigner, like me, applies for a Work Permit in Vietnam. Currently, a piece of paper with a few flags on it that’s ‘accredited’ by a random Limited Liability Company is sufficient. This is clearly wrong. If the ‘certificate’ is not a product of nationally recognised training (government-regulated) in the country of origin, it should carry zero value.