Two Kidnapped South Koreans Released Safely in Haiti After Month in Captivity

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- Two South Korean employees of a local company who were kidnapped by a gang in Haiti have been safely released after about a month in captivity, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday.

On July 31, the two were kidnapped by a gang in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, while on their way to work.

"One of them was released Aug. 18, followed by the release of the other on Tuesday. Their health conditions are good," the ministry said in a release to reporters.

Following a report of the kidnapping to the South Korean Embassy in the Dominican Republic, which is also accredited to Haiti, the government established a task force and worked closely with Haitian authorities to secure their safe release, it added.

The incident occurred amid deteriorating security conditions in Haiti, where gangs wield significant influence over parts of the country.

South Korea has designated Haiti as a travel-ban country since May 2024, and South Koreans require special permission to use their passports to stay in the country.

The two South Koreans had been staying there after obtaining such permission for business activities, according to the ministry.

There have been similar kidnapping incidents involving South Koreans in the Caribbean country. A South Korean businessman was kidnapped in 2005 and released three days later. In 2021, a missionary couple was abducted along with three other foreign nationals and released 17 days later.