By Roy Ramos and Hader Glang
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
A South Korean mining executive kidnapped in the southern Philippines has been found, police said Wednesday.
Song Ki Eon, who had been held captive for 15 days, was found wandering through a remote village on Tuesday evening.
Sr. Insp. John Condo, police chief in the township of Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur province, told DXMS Radio: “Residents informed us they found what looked like a Chinese or a Korean wandering in the village who sought help, so we sent troops.”
He added: “He was so tensed and stressed and he refused to talk. He was very silent.”
Song, 55, was reunited with his family in Iligan City shortly afterwards.
“We do not know if ransom was paid,” Condo said. “In the first place, we did not know if there was ransom demand.”
According to police, Song was seized by three men in Marawi City on Jan. 19 after having arranged to meet someone there. His police bodyguard, who was overpowered and handcuffed, told investigators that Song appeared to know the men.
Muslim-majority Marawi City is regarded as dangerous for foreigners.
Following his capture, his family received a ransom demand threatening to kill Song. Local media reported his wife had delivered the ransom.
Song's appearance came less than two weeks after another South Korean national was seized by gunmen with suspected links to the Abu Sayyaf and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front groups in Zamboanga Sibugay province.
Noui Sung Hong, his wife and son and two other Koreans were seized at his home. Everyone expect Noui, who is still being held, managed to escape.
In November, South Korean national Li Pei Zhei was released to police in the same province after two months in captivity. The Philippines government denied a ransom was paid.
Kidnapping foreigners and wealthy Filipinos has become commonplace in the southern Philippines in recent years.
The Abu Sayyaf, a militant group tied to al-Qaeda, is holding several foreign and Filipino hostages in Sulu, an island province to the southwest of Mindanao island.
Criminal gangs, sometimes involving former or current members of insurgent groups, are involved in kidnapping, often selling their hostages to the Abu Sayyaf.
South Korea has imposed a special travel warning on Mindanao.
