Three South Korean businessmen who have been missing on a southern island in the Philippines since late last month have been confirmed as kidnapped by unidentified gunmen, a foreign ministry official in Seoul said Monday.

The three Korean miners have been missing since Oct. 21 on the Philippine island of Mindanao and local police recently confirmed that they are held by gunmen, the official said on the condition of anonymity.

The gunmen have demanded a ransom for the Korean miners, the official said.

“We are closely coordinating with local police officials to resolve the kidnapping,” the official said.

In 2008, Islamic rebels kidnapped a South Korean businessman in the Philippines who was freed about two months later after a ransom was paid. 

(Yonhap News)