During a court session on August 18, a business owner testified about the necessity of paying bribes to Nguyen Ba Hoan, the former Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, as part of a corruption case. The business owner, Nghiem Quoc Hung, who is the chairman of Hoang Long Company, stated that in the labor export industry, it was customary to offer money during meetings with government officials to ensure favorable outcomes.

Hung explained that his company had been operating for decades and had established relationships with Hoan and other officials. However, he emphasized that without these payments, business dealings were unlikely to proceed smoothly. He recalled giving Hoan a significant amount of money, including a specific instance where he provided $170,000, alongside regular gifts during holidays, which he described as a customary practice.

The court was informed that the bribes were funded by profits from the company, specifically through additional charges levied on workers. Despite knowing that such practices were illegal, Hung claimed that the workers were aware and accepted the situation. He noted that for workers wishing to work in the shipbuilding industry in South Korea, known as Visa E7, navigating through various bureaucratic hurdles was essential, often requiring the intervention of high-ranking officials.

Prosecutors revealed that Hoan and another official, Tong Hai Nam, were involved in creating unnecessary regulations that complicated the process for businesses, forcing them to seek help from the Deputy Minister. It was also mentioned that companies were often suggested to pay fees ranging from 100 to 400 million VND for processing permits.

Investigators found that Hoang Long Company maintained two sets of accounting records, with over 1.2 trillion VND unreported, leading to a tax loss of 241 billion VND. Although Hung was charged with serious accounting violations, he was not prosecuted for bribery due to the circumstances surrounding the payments, which were viewed as a response to bureaucratic obstacles.

During the investigation, authorities seized more than $1.2 million in cash and various foreign currencies from the company. Prior to the trial, Hung's wife stated that she had paid the necessary amount to rectify the tax discrepancies. The trial is ongoing as the court continues to examine the evidence and testimonies presented.