Author Topic: Iraq: South Korean hostage killed (Read 173 times)

Smoke · « **on:** June 22, 2004, 10:50:30 AM »

Tuesday, June 22, 2004 Posted: 1:28 PM EDT (1728 GMT)

SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- Iraqi insurgents have killed the South Korean civilian they were holding hostage, according to South Korean Foreign Ministry officials.

A spokesman said the U.S. military informed the South Korean Embassy in Iraq that they had found a body that appeared to be that of an Asian male, the officials said.

They sent a photograph of the body, and the embassy identified Kim Sun-Il, who was kidnapped on June 17 in Fallujah, west of Baghdad.

The Islamist Web site "Voice of Jihad" also posted a message saying that the insurgents had killed Kim.

Kim, 33, was an Arabic speaker and evangelical Christian who had worked in Iraq for a year as a translator for a South Korean firm supplying goods to the U.S. military.

In a video broadcast Sunday on Al-Jazeera, Kim cried in English, "Please get out of here. I don't want to die ... Your life is important, but my life is important."

The insurgents had demanded that South Korea cancel plans to send 3,000 additional troops to Iraq.

Overnight, hundreds of South Koreans gathered in central Seoul on to condemn the dispatch of South Korean troops to Iraq, but the government is so far not backing away from its decision.

Police said protesters holding candles and placards that read "I don't want to die. South Korean troops must get out" gathered in a downtown street, chanting "We are against the dispatch of troops!"

Earlier, Foreign Ministry spokesman Shin Bong-Kil said that South Korea was trying to establish contact with as many countries and organizations as possible that could help win Kim's release.

He declined to comment on whether South Korea had direct contact with the kidnappers.

South Korean government officials had given numerous interviews to Arab media appealing for Kim's release, Shin said.

South Korea plans to send 3,000 troops to Arbil in the northern Kurdish region of Iraq. Military officials say about half are combat troops trained to protect the rest, who are to help rebuild Iraq, distribute aid and train security forces.

Some 670 South Korean military medics and engineers in southern Iraq since May last year will move to Arbil to join the main force, which Seoul sees as a difficult but vital gesture to the United States, an ally with 37,500 troops in the South to deter North Korea.

The deployment would make South Korea the third-largest contributor to the coalition in Iraq, after the United States and Britain. (Full story)

-- CNN's Sohn Jie-ae in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.

Montana00 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 22, 2004, 11:12:40 AM »

Code: [Select]

 "We warned you and you ignored (the warning)...Enough lies. Your army is not here for the sake of Iraqis but for the sake of cursed America," one of the men said.

Yea on yahoo they had a picture of the family. it was really sad. This man had no ties with the korean government (ties that would make korea pull the troops out), he wasnt even enlisted in the military. I cant imagine being in his shoes.

These men need to die. There inhumane animals out to kill. And i believe this because of the way they kill. Beheading someone is one of the most inhumane ways to kill a person. When you behead someone with a knife they feel every bit of the pain until you cut their spine. I cant even imagine how that would feel.

Smoke · « **Reply #2 on:** June 22, 2004, 11:20:42 AM »

They kidnapped 4 italian civils too, and killed one of them execution style.
I know how it feels for Koreans to have lost a life this way and to be menaced by coward terrorists.
My condolliance to the family.

Sikotic™ · « **Reply #3 on:** June 22, 2004, 11:45:20 AM »

My condolences go out as well. I saw the guy screaming for someone to save him. Terrible situation.

eNgIeS · « **Reply #4 on:** June 23, 2004, 06:47:00 AM »

yes, RIP.

I'm not like some idiots here & blame every muslim for a handfulls sins, just as i wouldnt blame every american becoz of one of there peoples sins.

Whoever is involved in this i hope they die a painfull death & burn in the pits of hell

Montana00 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 23, 2004, 07:20:53 AM »

no there gonna be rewarded allah told them to do it

...'BfCfC'... · « **Reply #6 on:** June 23, 2004, 08:49:34 AM »

Quote from: rampant on June 23, 2004, 07:20:53 AM

no there gonna be rewarded allah told them to do it

thats some mad shit man $:-\$

Montana00 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 23, 2004, 09:29:56 AM »

Well....i only say that because whenever they behead someone there always screaming praise allah.

its like me going into a drugstore stealing a bottle of gin, and screaming praise jesus on my way out the door.