Found After a Two-Hour Search
Firmly Refused Reward from Korean Family
"Please Remember the Kindness of Vietnam"
The story of a local man who helped find the mother of a Korean tourist who got lost during a trip to the popular tourist destination of Phu Quoc, Vietnam, is drawing attention. After asking for help in a local community, this man searched the area on his motorcycle and, despite his efforts, firmly refused the reward offered by the person who found his mother.
A Korean woman in her 70s who went missing during a trip to Vietnam safely returned to her family with the help of locals. Photo from Facebook capture
According to local media such as NLD, at around 6 p.m. on November 2 (local time), Hoang Phuong, who runs a fruit shop on Tran Hung Dao Street in Phu Quoc, was approached by a Korean tourist, identified as Mr. A, who urgently asked for help, saying, "My mother has disappeared." The man, who was traveling in Phu Quoc with his family, explained that his mother had gone missing while they were shopping at a nearby supermarket.
After checking the photo of the mother shown by Mr. A, Phuong reviewed the shop's CCTV footage. The video showed Mr. A's mother, walking with a cane, passing in front of the store just a few minutes earlier.
Phuong posted in a local online community, saying, "A Korean grandmother has gotten lost," and "She was using a cane. If anyone has seen her, please contact me." At the same time, he set out to search the area himself on his motorcycle.
After thoroughly searching the alleys for about two hours, Phuong found Mr. A's elderly mother. It was reported that she was walking with a cane about 4 to 5 kilometers away from where she had gone missing.
A Korean woman in her 70s who went missing during a trip to Vietnam safely returned to her family with the help of locals. Photo from Facebook capture
After safely finding his mother, Mr. A offered Phuong 500 dollars (about 700,000 won) as a token of gratitude, but Phuong adamantly refused. Local media shared security camera footage of the incident, showing the Korean man repeatedly bowing and taking cash from his wallet, while Phuong waved his hands to decline.
The video also showed several motorcycles, apparently involved in the search, gathering one after another to confirm that the elderly woman had safely returned.
In the end, Mr. A's family repeatedly bowed in gratitude before leaving the scene.
In an interview with local media, Phuong said, "Helping someone in trouble is the right thing to do," adding, "Especially when the person is a guest from far away." He also said, "I just hope tourists feel that the people of Phu Quoc are kind and always ready to help."
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