June 17, 2002, Asian Political News, Philippine police find body of S. Korean diplomat,

June 17, 2002, Asian Political News, Philippine police find body of S. Korean diplomat,

MANILA, June 10 Kyodo - Philippine police said Monday they have found the body of the South Korean diplomat who had been missing since Thursday.

Police said the body of Chung Young Ho, 46, third secretary of the South Korean Embassy in Manila, was found Friday afternoon, but not identified as that of Chung until Monday.

They said they are trying to determine the cause of death.

Lee Yong Soo, first secretary of the South Korean Embassy, said Chung disappeared after a night out Thursday with a South Korean male friend.

After the dinner in Manila's financial district of Makati, the two went to a bar in the same district but found it closed.

While at a nearby currency exchange shop, a Filipino man in his 40s approached and befriended the two, inviting them to a bar near the suburb of Antipolo in eastern Metro Manila 

When Chung's Korean friend was later dropped off, Chung remained in the car with the Filipino man who offered to bring him to his house in Makati, Lee said.

Lee said Chung's South Korean friend last communicated with Chung by mobile phone a few minutes after.

Lee said Chung's body was found by police in a funeral parlor in Manila's suburbs.

A manhunt for the Filipino man and his Filipino driver will be launched soon, police said.

Yonhap News Agency quoted South Korean Foreign Ministry officials as saying Philippine police believe Chung, the first South Korean diplomat ever slain in the Philippines, was killed by a local drug ring.

The report said Chung's body was initially found by a pedestrian on a street of Quezon City and carried to a nearby undertaker Friday morning.

The ministry reportedly asked the Philippine government to take strengthened safety and security measures for South Korean diplomats and residents to prevent any recurrence.