Al-Qirbi condolences S. Korean ambassador

SANA'A, June 17 (Saba) - Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi met here
on Wednesday with South Korean ambassador to Yemen Won-ho Kwak.

During the meeting, al-Qirbi expressed Yemen's condolences to the
government and people of friendly South Korea and the family of the
Korean teacher killed in a tragic criminal accident in the northern
governorate of Sa'ada last Saturday.

The Minister al-Qirbi confirmed that the security bodies will keep
on chasing the culprits, who committed this criminal act opposing
the teachings of Islam and Yemen traditions, till they are arrested
and brought to justice.

While the government has announced $ 275,000 reward for any person
gives information leading to the arrest of the kidnappers, the
search for the six foreigners, whose statuses are still unknown, was
expanded to cover three other provinces.

Yemeni authorities are using helicopters combing various parts of
Sa'ada and neighbouring parts in the provinces of Amran, Hajjah and
Jawf.

Last Tuesday, the three bodies of the German and Korean women were
transported to the Military Hospital in the capital Sana'a for doing
the necessary procedures and then sending them to their countries.

The Korean teacher and two German nurses were found dead on Monday
in Yemen's province of Saada.

They were among a group of nine foreigners kidnapped in the province
on Friday.

None has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings and slayings so
far.

Earlier, the authorities accused the Houthi rebels of kidnapping the
Foreigners.

On Tuesday, Germany said al-Qaeda might be behind the kidnappings
and killings.

The abducted included seven Germans including three children, a
Briton engineer and South Korean teacher.

BA/AF