Ambassador whose wife claimed diplomatic immunity after slapping South Korean worker loses job

• The Embassy of Belgium in Seoul announced that Ambassador to South Korea Peter Lescouhier's tenure was ending.
• Lescouhier's wife, Xiang Xueqiu, was seen on security footage slapping an employee at a clothing store in April.
• Xiang later claimed diplomatic immunity in the incident, but Belgium waived the privilege.

Belgian Ambassador to South Korea Peter Lescouhier has lost his job after his wife was accused of slapping a store employee in the face.

The Embassy of Belgium in Seoul announced on Facebook that it was ending Lescouhier's three-year tenure as ambassador.

Lescouhier's wife, Xiang Xueqiu, initially claim diplomatic immunity earlier this month after she was seen on security footage shared online slapping an employee at a clothing store in April.

The Belgian government has since waved Xiang's diplomatic immunity so local police can investigate the situation.

CNN reported that store employees had accused Xiang of stealing a jacket, sparking the altercation.

According to the Embassy of Belgium in Seoul's statement, Xiang has since apologized for her behavior and is cooperating with police.

The embassy said the situation has made it "clear" that Lescouhier would not be able to "carry out his role in a serene way."

"Now that Mrs. Xiang Xueqiu has personally presented her excuses and cooperated with the police, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sophie Wilmès has decided that it is in the best interest of our bilateral relations to end Ambassador Lescouhier's tenure in the Republic of Korea this summer," the embassy said.