The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 30th that two Koreans were recently kidnapped by an armed group in Nigeria and were released safely 17 days after their abduction.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press notice that day, “On the 12th, at approximately 10 a.m. (local time, 6 p.m. Korean time), an incident occurred in which two Korean citizens were kidnapped after being ambushed by an armed group in southern Nigeria.” “At approximately 2 p.m. (approximately 10 p.m. Korean time), we secured the new recruits of two of our citizens who had been kidnapped,” he said.
The two Korean citizens are said to be in good health, and after being examined at the hospital, they moved to a safe area and spoke with their families.
It is reported that two Korean citizens working for Daewoo Engineering & Construction were kidnapped by an armed group while moving from Baran, southern Nigeria, to another construction site.
In the process, it was reported that four local bodyguards, including a soldier who was protecting two Koreans, and two drivers were shot by an armed group and died on the spot.
This is the first time in 11 years that a Korean kidnapping has occurred in Nigeria since 2012.
In Nigeria, kidnapping cases are reported to have tripled over the past five years as economic difficulties and political chaos intensify. It is said that there were 800 kidnapping cases this year alone and 1,129 cases last year.
About 400 Korean residents live in Nigeria. Korean companies such as Daewoo, Samsung, LG, and Lotte are also entering the market, and the number of Korean workers is about 340.
After this kidnapping incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs established and operated the Headquarters for the Protection of Nationals Abroad, headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin.
In addition, efforts have been made to confirm the safety of Korean citizens and secure new recruits targeting the Nigerian military, police, and intelligence authorities through cooperation between the headquarters, embassies, and Korean companies operating in the region.
Immediately after the safety of the Korean people was secured, Minister Park spoke to them over the phone and offered his condolences and explained that the Korean government had made various efforts, saying, “The President has also ordered us to do our best to ensure the safety of the kidnapped people.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “We plan to continue active preventive activities, such as reviewing measures to protect nationals living abroad in Nigeria and developing self-rescue measures with related embassies, companies, and citizens living abroad, to prevent kidnapping damage.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.