By Yoo Dong-ho
Staff Reporter

The boss of a South Korean man kidnapped and killed by Islamic terrorists confirmed on Thursday he had not notified the South Korean embassy in Iraq of his employee’s abduction.

During a half-hour question-and-answer session, Kim Chun-ho, the president of Cana General Trading Co., said, ``I was indirectly negotiating with the Muslim captors immediately after obtaining information about Kim’s kidnapping on June 12.’’ Kim added he had been in search of his employee for 10 days after he lost contact with the 33-year-old Kim Sun-il on May 31.

Whether the Korean mission in Baghdad was left in the dark about the abduction still remains a nagging question because Kim had visited the South Korean embassy in Iraq four times after he learned of the late Kim’s abduction.

Another issue of controversy was whether Kim notified U.S. military authorities of his employee’s kidnapping. The president of the Baghdad-based foodstuff supplier to U.S. Army said he had informed the American manager of a U.S. Post Exchange in Iraq of Kim’s disappearance, but was told it could not help.

Asked whether the manager was a retired U.S. military officer, Kim said he had no idea.

``I was engaged in negotiations with the most powerful and influential militant group through two of my Iraqi subordinates and an Iraqi lawyer in order to rescue Kim from the hands of the terrorists,’’ Kim explained. ``After news of Kim’s kidnapping broke on Al-Jazeera on June 21, however, the bargaining got bogged down.’’

After the beheaded body of the late Kim was found on a road outside Baghdad on June 22, the Seoul government took the brunt of public outrage over the kidnapping and murder of Kim. With the latest developments, however, criticism has shifted to Cana president Kim, who has frequently changed his account of events leading up to his employee’s death.

Kim presented himself to the nation’s top inspection agency, the Board of Audit and Inspection, for questioning. ``I will accept the investigation in order for the truth behind the tragic episode to be revealed,’’ Kim said.

Kim is believed to hold the key to various questions surrounding the killing of the ill-fated hostage.

yoodh@koreatimes.co.kr