(6th LD) S. Korea Trying to Verify Report of Kidnapping in Iraq

(ATTN: CLARIFIES insurgent group did not specifically threaten with death in lead, ADDS quote in 5th para, CHANGES dateline)

SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Sunday it was trying to verify a claim from an insurgent group in Iraq that it has kidnapped two South Koreans and there will be "Allah's judgement" for the hostages unless Seoul withdraws its troops from the Gulf state.

The threat was posted on an Arabic Web site on Thursday and the group, identified as "Al-Jihad," gave South Korea 72 hours to comply with its demand, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lee Kyu-hyung said.

Lee said the group also claimed it would issue photos of the hostages "in several hours" but has yet to do so.

Lee said officials in Iraq have determined that nothing untoward has happened to any South Koreans known to be in Iraq, but they were trying to see if there are any citizens who have entered Iraq without notifying the government.

"I cannot say for sure how reliable this threat really is," Lee said.

About 3,600 South Korean troops are stationed in the northern Iraqi town of Irbil to help reconstruct the war-torn country. The contingent represents the third largest in the U.S.-led coalition force after the U.S. and Britain.

In June, a South Korean worker was killed in Iraq after Seoul rejected his captors' demand that the Korean troops be withdrawn.

The South Korean government was on high alert Sunday evening. The Foreign Ministry convened an emergency meeting with Vice Minister Choi Young-jin and other senior officials to discuss the issue. The National Security Council also held a separate meeting.

The Defense Ministry said all of its 3,600 troops in Iraq and the 63 civilians residing on their base have been confirmed safe.

cjs2001@yna.co.kr
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