By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter

Six South Koreans including two children were wounded in Saipan, the U.S. territory in the Pacific, Friday morning, when a gunman went on a shooting rampage, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Koreans - five tourists and one tour guide - were in Marpi near Banzai Cliff, the famous tourist attraction, when the shooting took place. The gunman then went to the Kannat Tabla Shooting Range, where he killed two adults and two children, all local residents, before turning the gun on himself.

According to local media, the gunman was an Asian in his 30s to 40s.

Seoul officials believed that the chance of the assault being a terrorist attack targeting Koreans was slim.

The gunman opened fire from a white van toward the Korean tourists. The shooting took place at 11:21 a.m.

A Korean diplomat stationed on Saipan was contacting local law enforcement officers to ascertain the condition of the Korean casualties, the officials said.

Among those, a 39-year-old man, identified by his surname Park, sustained a gunshot wound to his back and was listed in serious but not critical condition.

The injured Koreans were taken to a nearby hospital - one was discharged, while the remaining four are expected to leave the hospital soon.

"The lieutenant governor and I are monitoring the situation closely and working with the police and the FBI and we will continue to keep everyone informed," Gov. Benigno R. Fitial was quoted as saying during a briefing.

Local reports said that, included among the two others wounded besides the Koreans, was a four-year-old girl who was hit by a bullet in the chest.

Police recovered three rifles inside the gunman's vehicle.

The body of the gunman, who was believed to be an employee of the shooting range, was found along the edge off the cliff line near the van with a .22-caliber rifle strapped on his shoulder.

kswho@koreatimes.co.kr