A bomb killed four South Korean tourists and their local guide in Yemen on Sunday, the Associated Press reported quoting Yemeni officials in Sana.
This is the latest such attack targeting foreigners visiting this poor Arab country that has both famed historic sites and a strong al-Qaida presence, the AP said.
The attack occurred as the tourists were posing for photographs near the ancient fortress city of Shibam _ a UNESCO World Heritage site known as "the Manhattan of the desert" because of its towering 16th century mud brick buildings _ the AP quoted Yemeni security officials as saying.
There were conflicting reports about the nature of the bombing, with one security official saying it was a suicide attack and another saying it was a roadside bomb detonated by remote control, according to the AP.
Confirming the tourists were killed in the attack, the Korean Foreign Ministry dispatched a consul to the scene to inspect the correct reason of the death.
The ministry said that the killed people were Park Bong-gan, 70, of Samseong-dong; Kim In-hye, 64, of Mok-dong, Ju Yong-cheol, 59, of Amsa-dong; and Shin Hye-yun, 55, of Sangdo-dong, Seoul. Ju and Shin are also confirmed as husband and wife.
The three injured Koreans are Hong Sun-hee, 54, of Sangdo-dong; Park Jeong-seon, 40, of Hongje-dong; and Sohn Jong-hee residing in Amman, according to ministry officials.
The city of Shibam in Yemen's southern Hadramut province is one of the country's most prized tourist sites. The Yemeni government said it was not canceling any tours in the country and has stepped up security for all other tourist groups.
This impoverished country on the southern tip of the Arabian peninsula is Osama bin Laden's ancestral homeland and has long been a center of militant activity despite government efforts to fight al-Qaida and other extremists.