SOUTH Korean Prime Minister and acting President Hwang Kyo Ahn accepted the Duterte administration's apology over the gruesome death of Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo in the Philippines, Presidential Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said Monday.

Panelo said he met with Hwang last Friday to personally convey, in behalf of President Rodrigo Duterte, the "profound and sincerest Philippine government's apology to the Korean government and the Korean people for the dastardly crime committed against the Korean national Mr. Jee Ick-joo by what appears to be suspected police scalawags."

"In response, Prime Minister Hwang accepted my offer of apology on behalf of the Philippine government, and noted that President Duterte apologized as well to the widow of Mr. Jee Ick-Joo," he added.

Panelo said the Korean government was exptcting to serve "swift justice" to Jee's family.

He then assured Hwang that the Duterte administration would prosecute "to the fullest extent of the law" the persons responsible for the murder and give justice to the victim.

Jee was reportedly taken from his home in October last year in the guise of illegal drug operation and was killed in Camp Crame in Quezon City the same day he was abducted.

Panelo said he had already expressed the Philippine government's resolve to go after the criminals "molesting, harassing, kidnapping and assaulting Koreans in our country as part of the government's war against all forms of criminality and the illegal drug trade." (SunStar Philippines)