Peruvian police make three arrests after kidnapping of Korean man, grenades thrown during chase

A Korean businessman who was kidnapped in the Peruvian capital of Lima has been safely rescued just one day after the abduction, the Korean Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

This image, captured from the Peruvian police agency's account on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday, shows the rear window of a police car that was shattered by a grenade thrown by kidnappers of a Korean man. [YONHAP]

A Korean businessman who was kidnapped in the Peruvian capital of Lima has been safely rescued just one day after the abduction, the Korean Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

The businessman, in his 60s, was taken to a hospital for treatment after his rescue, with officials confirming that he is in a stable condition with bruises.

“Our citizen is generally in good health and is currently under police protection,” the ministry stated.

The victim, who has been conducting business in Peru for an extended period, went missing early Tuesday morning after parting ways with an acquaintance.

He was first reported missing when staff from his company tried to contact him, but an unidentified person answered his phone. His family immediately reported the incident to the Korean Embassy in Peru, which then alerted local police and the Foreign Ministry in Seoul.

According to the Foreign Ministry, three suspects involved in the kidnapping were arrested following a dramatic chase and shootout with local police. The kidnappers, identified as Venezuelan nationals possibly linked to a criminal organization, had demanded a large ransom for the businessman’s release.

While attempting to move the victim to a different location, the suspects were intercepted by police. The kidnappers engaged in a gunfight and threw two grenades during the chase, one of which exploded, injuring a police officer. Authorities believe there may be more accomplices involved, and an investigation is ongoing. They do not believe the victim was specifically targeted due to his nationality. “We must wait for the investigation results to determine the motive behind the kidnapping, but, so far, it does not appear that he was targeted as a Korean,” a ministry official told reporters. “Kidnappings involving Korean nationals are extremely rare, with the most recent case being in 2011.”

Approximately 1,200 Korean nationals currently live in Peru, with around 1,000 residing in the capital city where the abduction took place.

Though Peru was once considered relatively stable regarding public safety in Latin America, the crime rate has surged in recent years, particularly following the Covid-19 pandemic. Economic hardship and increased immigration have contributed to this spike, with more than 700 kidnapping cases reported in 2023 alone.

Update, Sept. 26: Added comments from the Korean Foreign Ministry.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]