South Korea outraged over killing, but ‘will not bow to terrorism’

TOKYO – Asia voiced sorrow and outrage over the beheading of a South Korean hostage in Iraq, while some governments applauded Seoul’s refusal to meet militants’ demands to cancel a planned troop deployment to the war-torn country.

News of Kim Sun-il’s death dominated Asian media yesterday. Kim, an employee of a supply company, was widely shown over the weekend pleading with his government to end its involvement in Iraq, screaming, “I don’t want to die.”His decapitated body was found Tuesday.US President George W Bush and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan swiftly condemned the killing.Bush said, however, he remained confident that South Korea would go ahead with plans to send 3 000 troops to Iraq, beginning August.South Korea will be the third-largest troop contributor after the United States and Britain.”The secretary-general is appalled by the murder… (and) condemns in the strongest terms this heartless crime, which no political or other cause can justify,” Annan’s spokesman said in a statement.- Nampa-APKim, an employee of a supply company, was widely shown over the weekend pleading with his government to end its involvement in Iraq, screaming, “I don’t want to die.”His decapitated body was found Tuesday.US President George W Bush and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan swiftly condemned the killing.Bush said, however, he remained confident that South Korea would go ahead with plans to send 3 000 troops to Iraq, beginning August.South Korea will be the third-largest troop contributor after the United States and Britain.”The secretary-general is appalled by the murder… (and) condemns in the strongest terms this heartless crime, which no political or other cause can justify,” Annan’s spokesman said in a statement.- Nampa-AP