SEOUL — South Korea's foreign ministry is extending consular services to the family of a South Korean businessman who was killed by local police in the Philippines five years ago, according to a ministry official.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Jee Ick-joo was abducted from his home in Angeles City, north of Manila, in October 2016 and subsequently killed by local police officers. Approximately two weeks after the kidnapping, 5 million Philippine pesos (US$100,000) were extorted from Jee's family under the false claim that he was still alive. Subsequent investigations revealed that Jee was strangled to death on the same day he was kidnapped.
In June of this year, a local court sentenced two individuals to life imprisonment for their roles in the killing, while another was acquitted due to insufficient evidence provided by the prosecution.
Jee's wife informed the media on Monday that she had sent a letter to South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, urging him to give his attention to the case and make efforts to uncover the truth. A ministry official confirmed that the ministry is "providing the necessary consular assistance" to the bereaved family and is aware that an appeal process is currently under way in a Philippine court.