Abducted S. Korean businessman freed in Kazakhstan

(ATTN: UPDATES with businessman's release)
SEOUL, April 22 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean businessman abducted by a group of
unknown ransom-seeking men in Kazakhstan was freed Wednesday, Seoul officials
said.
The group of unidentified men nabbed the 44-year-old South Korean, the owner of a
local investment venture, at around 9. a.m. on his way to work in Almaty, the
largest city in the central Asian country, foreign ministry officials said.
After the abduction, the kidnappers called his company, seeking a ransom for the
businessman who was only identified by his family name of Nam, they said.
Nam was released at 6:30 p.m. after the company negotiated with the men over his
release, according to the officials. It was not immediately known if the company
paid a ransom or how much it paid, if it did.
Earlier in the day, the South Korean Embassy in Almaty reported the abduction to
the local authorities and requested an investigation, they said.
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