Tourists wearing this hat in Vietnam may face US$3,000 fine, entry denial
A travel agency said sporting a Vietnam war veteran hat could also lead to ‘conflict with locals’
A Vietnam-focused travel agency has warned tourists against wearing a “Vietnam war veteran hat” when travelling to the country, citing cases of entry denial.
An advisory from a Vietnam travel agency gained attention on South Korean online communities such as DC Inside on Thursday.
The agency reported that a recent traveller wearing a Vietnam war veteran hat was denied entry at the airport. “A group of tourists wearing the hat was also fined US$3,000 after being stopped by authorities,” it warned. The agency further cautioned that “wearing the hat on the streets could lead to conflicts with locals”.
The agency included a photo of a hat with the phrase “Vietnam war Hero Korea” as an example. The hat is typically worn by elderly veterans who served in the Vietnam war and was created to commemorate the contributions of South Korean soldiers.
In South Korea, there are organisations such as the Korean Disabled Veteran’s Association by Agent-Orange in Vietnam war and the Vietnam Veterans Association Korea for those who served in the war.
Commonly referred to as the “Vietnam war” in South Korea, the conflict lasted for 20 years from 1955, pitting the communist North Vietnamese government against the US-backed South Vietnamese forces. At the request of the United States, South Korea deployed 320,000 troops to support South Vietnam.