Korean pastor shot dead in Manila

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said yesterday that no Koreans were among tourists taken hostage in the Philippines yesterday, but confirmed that a Korean pastor was killed in a separate attack.

The attack happened around 1:30 a.m. (Korea time) when the pastor, identified only by his surname Cho, was heading home in his car from the airport after picking up seven people visiting him from Korea, ministry spokesman Kim Young-sun said.

Two others in the group were kidnapped but later released. Seoul has asked Philippine police to conduct a swift probe into the attack.

The killing came days before Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan's planned visit to the Philippines.

“About 115,000 Koreans are in the Philippines,” Kim said. “When the minister visits the Philippines this time, he plans to ask local authorities to take greater safety measures for Koreans.” Also Monday, Korean officials were briefly on alert after a rifle-wielding ex-police officer seized a tourist bus in Manila. The tourists were from Hong Kong.

Yonhap