▲ In this file photo, the wife of Jee Ick-joo, a South Korean businessman who was kidnapped and killed by police officers in the Philippines in October 2016, walks out after attending a trial at a local court on June 6, 2023. (Yonhap)

ministry-Philippines kidnapping

Ministry providing consular service to bereaved family of S. Korean killed by Philippine police: official

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign ministry is providing consular assistance to the bereaved family of a Korean man killed by local police officers in the Philippines years ago, a ministry official said Monday.

In October 2016, a South Korean businessman named Jee Ick-joo was kidnapped for ransom at his home in Angeles City, north of Manila, and later killed by local police officers.

About two weeks after the abduction, they also extorted 5 million Philippine pesos (US$100,000) from Jee's family as ransom money under the pretext that he was alive. Local investigation revealed Jee was strangled to death on the day of his kidnapping.

In June, a local court sentenced two men to life in prison for their participation in the killing but acquitted another due to the prosecution's failure to prove his guilt.

Jee's wife told reporters Monday she sent a letter to South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin asking for his attention and efforts to unveil the truth behind the case.

An official at the ministry said it is "paying attention to the bereaved family and providing the necessary consular assistance."

"As far as I know, an appeal process is under way at a court in the Philippines," he added.

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