A South Korean man in his 40s who was abducted in Manila, Philippines, has been safely released after four days.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today that the South Korean man, surnamed A, who was abducted in Manila on the 4th, was safely released today.
A's health is reportedly in good condition.
On the morning of the 4th, A was in a vehicle with a South Korean acquaintance in the Pasay area of Metro Manila when he was kidnapped by unidentified assailants.
The kidnappers took only A in the vehicle and left the scene, and two hours after the incident, the remaining companion sought help from the South Korean Embassy.
About 18 hours later, the kidnappers contacted another acquaintance of A to demand a ransom in exchange for his release.
Thanks to close cooperation among the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Korean National Police Agency, the embassy, and the Philippine police, A was safely released today.
Recently, vehicle kidnappings targeting South Korean nationals have occurred consecutively in the Philippines.
Previously, on August 16th, another South Korean man in his 40s, surnamed B, was abducted by local assailants in Manila and released after five days.
In that incident as well, kidnappers blocked and forced their way into a vehicle, abducting only B while leaving behind a companion who was riding in the same car, and subsequently contacted B's acquaintance to demand a ransom.
After relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, operated a joint response headquarters, B was released five days after the abduction and was reported to be in good health.
While Philippine investigative authorities are pursuing the kidnappers, a connection between the two cases has not yet been confirmed.
Authorities are reportedly keeping the possibility open that this could be a new type of kidnapping crime targeting South Koreans.
Kidnapping cases involving South Koreans in the Philippines occurred 5 times in 2023, 1 time in 2024, and 3 times in 2025.
Reported by Park Se-won | Video by Ahn Jun-hyeok | Graphics by Lee Jung-joo | Produced by SBS Digital News
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