Two South Korean nationals were safely released 17 days after an armed group in Nigeria abducted them.

Seoul's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Saturday that the two Koreans were freed Friday following their kidnapping in the southern Nigerian state of Rivers on December 12.

The pair reportedly work for Daewoo Engineering and Construction.

A foreign ministry official said the two Koreans are in good health and spoke with their families after being moved to a safe location.

However, four Nigerian bodyguards and two drivers were reportedly killed at the time of the abduction.

The ministry has been exerting diplomatic efforts to have the abductees released, setting up an overseas Korean nationals protection committee shortly after the abduction.

This was the first abduction of South Korean nationals in Nigeria since 2012, with earlier kidnappings taking place in 2006 and 2007. 

Many large Korean construction companies operate in Nigeria, where about 340 Koreans work.