S. Korean man missing in Turkey, reportedly joined IS

By Kim Young-jin

A South Korean teenager has gone missing in Turkey, sparking speculation that he may have joined the extremist group Islamic State (IS) in Syria, reports said Saturday.

Turkish newspaper Milliyet reported that the Korean male might have crossed the border into Syria, and that he had exchanged emails with IS before illegally entering Turkey on Jan. 8, with another South Korean man.

Officials of the Korean embassy in Turkey said the teenager had last been seen near a hotel on the Turkey-Syria border. One official told Yonhap News Agency that the Turkish report contained "inaccuracies."

According to the report, the second man, 30, told Turkish officials that his companion had entered Syria. The older man reported the disappearance of the teen to the embassy.

Officials said there was no evidence that the younger man had entered Syria.

"We dispatched officials from our embassy on Jan. 13 and since then they have been searching for him, together with Turkish police," AFP quoted a foreign ministry official as saying.

The older man is now under custody of Korean authorities for investigation.

In Seoul, the teenager's mother said her son had been in contact with a Turkish friend whom he met online, via email.

Police said an analysis of the teenager's phone records showed no evidence that he had made contact with IS.