WELLINGTON - A $10,000 bounty has been offered for information leading to the whereabouts of a South Korean man and his young family, believed to be hiding in New Zealand from South Korean authorities.
The South Korean Embassy is distancing itself from an advertisement placed in a Sunday newspaper offering the
cash reward. The embassy's contact details are included in the advertisement.
Embassy counsellor Kyungsoo Kim said the advertisement - offering $10,000 for information leading to the location of Hon Chul Choi, his wife and two young children - was done without consultation with the embassy.
The advertisement asks that any information be forwarded to the Korean Consulate in Auckland or the embassy in Wellington. "It was not our embassy who put in that advertisement. I don't know why our embassy name is appearing on that," Mr Kim said.
He confirmed that Mr Choi, believed to be an accountant, was wanted by South Korean authorities on charges of fraud relating to the alleged embezzlement of money from a private South Korean company.
Mr Kim said he had few details on the offences Mr Choi was alleged to have committed, but he hoped to obtain more information today.
Interpol's New Zealand office, based at Police National Headquarters in Wellington, confirmed Korean authorities were looking for Mr Choi but declined to comment further.
Mr Choi appears on the Auckland police's most wanted Website, labelled as a "fraudster."
"On the 18th of February 2000 a provisional arrest warrant under the Extradition Act 1999 was issued by the Wellington District Court for Mr Hon Chul Choi, in relation to dishonesty offences committed in Korea," it says.
Mr Kim said he thought a South Korean company had placed the advertisement. "The company Choi worked for, the people of the company were in New Zealand looking for him and they put in this ad."
Mr Kim said one of four numbers given on the advertisement belonged to the company. When the number was called, it was diverted to a message service.
He said Mr Choi was believed to have come to New Zealand about a month ago after spending time in Australia. The advertisement said Mr Choi, aged 44, could be accompanied by his wife, Mrs M N Choi, a boy aged 7 and girl aged 6. It included a photograph of the couple.
The Auckland police Website said Mr Choi had been seen in Auckland and Wellington. "Police in Auckland would like to speak to Mr Choi.
"Anybody with information that may assist in locating him is asked to call Constable Jimmy Jin of the Asian Crime Squad."
- NZPA