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Honduran diplomat accused of sexual assault left Korea, police say

Published: 06 Aug. 2025, 19:38

Commuters crowd Seomyeon Station in Busanjin District, Busan, during morning rush hour on May 28, in this photo unrelated to the story. [NEWS1]

A Honduran diplomat under investigation for assault and sexual misconduct in Busan left Korea after invoking diplomatic immunity, effectively ending the police probe, according to officials on Wednesday.

The departure came despite an earlier pledge by the Honduran Ministry of Foreign Affairs to revoke the diplomat’s immunity, a move it did not follow through on.

The Haeundae Police Precinct in Busan said it plans to close the case without indictment due to a lack of prosecutorial jurisdiction.

The diplomat was accused of molesting a Korean man and assaulting him after a confrontation ensued aboard a train on Busan Metro Line 2 around 6 a.m. on June 19.

The diplomat, who was based at the Embassy of Honduras in Jongno District, central Seoul, had traveled to Busan on a work-related trip and was reportedly intoxicated at the time.

The Central American country's Foreign Ministry initially stated that it would rescind the diplomat’s immunity, raising hopes for a full legal process.

The Honduran Embassy logo is seen in this photo uploaded to the Embassy of Honduras in Korea's Facebook page [SCREEN CAPTURE]

On July 15, it issued a press release saying the immunity of the diplomat assigned to the Honduran Embassy in Korea had been revoked.

If investigations revealed responsibility under local laws, the individual must face appropriate legal consequences, the ministry said, adding that if the diplomat returned to Honduras, it would revoke the individual's diplomatic credentials.

The Honduran ministry said that it emphasized to all diplomats the absolute obligation to comply with host country laws and that it condemned any actions that violate the rights and dignity of others.

However, Korean police said no such revocation materialized in practice.

Instead, the only official communication they received was a notification that the diplomat would exercise immunity.

The diplomat has since left their post and departed Korea.

“We were only formally informed that [the diplomat] would invoke diplomatic immunity,” a Haeundae police official said. “We have no information regarding the Honduran Foreign Ministry’s prior press statements.”

BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]