Military

DATE=6/22/2004

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=IRAQ / KILLING (S-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-316914

BYLINE=ALISHA RYU

DATELINE=BAGHDAD

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

HEADLINE: Iraqi Militants Kill South Korean Hostage

INTRO: An Islamic militant group in Iraq has executed a South Korean man kidnapped last week, after South Korea refused to give in to demands that it cancel the deployment of three thousand of its troops to Iraq in August. Correspondent Alisha Ryu has more from Baghdad.

TEXT: The South Korean embassy in Baghdad confirms that U.S. soldiers discovered the body of Kim Sun-il late Monday afternoon on a road between the capital and Fallujah, the restive town in the Sunni Triangle where Mr. Kim was abducted five days ago.

Kidnappers, believed to be Islamic militants with ties to the al-Qaida terrorist network, had initially threatened to kill the 33 year-old civilian worker by sundown Monday. It is not known when Mr. Kim was killed.

In a video sent to the Arabic-language Al-Jazeera television network, militants blamed Mr. Kim's death on South Korea, which they said was sending troops to Iraq to help the United States, not Iraqis.

South Korea says it is only sending non-combat soldiers to Iraq to assist in humanitarian needs of the country. (Signed)

NEB/AR/MAR/RH/KL