Successive Kidnappings of South Koreans in the Philippines Raise Concerns Over New Crime Patterns

A South Korean man in his 40s who was kidnapped in Manila, Philippines, has been safely released after four days.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today that the South Korean man, identified as Mr. A, who was abducted in Manila on the 4th, was safely released today.

Mr. A is reportedly in good health.

On the morning of the 4th, Mr. A was riding in a car with an acquaintance, another South Korean man, in the Pasay area of Metro Manila when he was kidnapped by unidentified assailants.

The kidnappers took only Mr. 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 Mr. A and demanded 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, Mr. A was safely released today.

Recently, vehicle-based kidnappings targeting South Korean nationals have been occurring consecutively in the Philippines.

Previously, on the 16th of last month, another South Korean man in his 40s, Mr. B, was kidnapped by local assailants in Manila and released after five days.

In that case as well, the kidnappers blocked and forced their way into the vehicle, abducting only Mr. B while leaving behind a companion who was in the same car, and subsequently contacted Mr. B's acquaintance to demand a ransom.

After relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, activated a joint response headquarters, Mr. B was released five days after the abduction and was reported to be in good health with no abnormalities.

While Philippine investigative authorities are pursuing the kidnappers, a connection between the two cases has not yet been confirmed.

Investigators are reportedly keeping open the possibility that this could be a new type of kidnapping crime targeting South Koreans.

Abduction 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
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.