Lee Min-hyung joined The Korea Times in 2014 and has worked as a journalist mainly in Korea’s finance, tech and automotive industry. He specializes in content creation, breaking news and in-depth analysis currently on transportation and mobility. You can reach him via mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr.
Korean arrested for allegedly abducting fellow Korean in Philippines
By Lee Min-hyung
A Korean man has been arrested for allegedly abducting another Korean national in the Philippines and demanding a ransom from his family, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Saturday.
The suspect, identified by his surname Lee, reportedly kidnapped the victim in Makati, Manila, sometime in March.
The 34-year-old suspect then contacted the father of the victim and demanded $5 million (5.8 billion won) ransom.
Philippines police are investigating the case after arresting the suspect, April 22.
When the suspect abducted the 26-year-old Korean national is as yet unknown. The Philippines police began investigating the case after his family filed a missing persons report with the Korean Embassy, March 23.
“Upon receiving the report, we immediately contacted the local policy and called for a thorough investigation of the case,” a Korean foreign ministry official said.
The suspect faces charges of pocketing the initial ransom money of $17,000 through Bitcoin, according to local reports from the Philippines.
“The Philippine authorities are conducting an investigation into the victim and suspect, so it is hard for us to reveal details on the case at the moment,” the ministry official said.
The foreign ministry will continue to monitor the investigation and comply with any requests from the local authorities, the official said.