South Korea will not be deterred from its plan to send 3,000 troops to help rebuild Iraq despite a threat from Muslim militants to behead a South Korean hostage shown pleading for his life, the government said on Monday.
In the Chinese city of Qingdao, South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon told Reuters his country was using all diplomatic measures to free 33-year-old businessman Kim Sun-il but it was too early to say whether Seoul would negotiate his release.
President Roh Moo-hyun met top security officials in Seoul for briefings on a crisis that could magnify domestic opposition to the deployment.
About 500 demonstrators, ringed by riot police, protested in central Seoul on Monday night waving flags and banners. One placard read: "Sending the troops kills, kills, kills."
Roh said the kidnapping was "regrettable and unfortunate".
"I request the foreign ministry and other related agencies to make all their efforts to save him," he said in comments released after a meeting of his National Security Council.
"The purpose of the troop dispatch is to help the Iraqi people rehabilitate their economy. We are not going to engage in any offensive military operations. There should be no such reason claimed by those people responsible to kidnap a Korean."
Asked whether Seoul would negotiate, Ban said: "It is too early. It is not appropriate at this time to mention anything."
Ban - in China for an Asian ministerial conference - said he had met several foreign ministers from the Gulf region and spoken by telephone with the foreign ministers of Jordan and Iran.
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