[AP/Yonhap Photo]
A South Korean businessman kidnapped in the Philippines last year was found to have been strangled to death in an operation involving local police officers to extort ransom, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.
The 53-year-old surnamed Ji was abducted on October 18 last year near his home in Angeles City and strangled to death on the same day, the foreign ministry said, adding he appeared to have been cremated.
Ji's family gave 100,000 US dollars as ransom two weeks after he was kidnapped, but his whereabouts had not been known, the ministry said, adding eight people including four incumbent and former police officers involved in the operation have been held for questioning.
Ji, who had operated a company managing personal resources for construction, was kidnapped under the pretext of a drug-related investigation, the ministry said, based on probe results conducted by Filipino authorities.
Crimes targeting South Korean residents and tourists have been growing in the Philippines.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
