The Foreign Ministry says it is trying to confirm whether a South Korean is one of the two East Asians being held captive by armed Islamic militants in Iraq.

A Ministry official said that as of Tuesday morning, it is believed that no South Koreans are included among the two East Asians who were recently kidnapped along with two Australian nationals by Islamic extremists in the southern Iraqi city of Samarra. The Ministry said the South Korean Embassy in Baghdad is trying to confirm details surrounding the abduction.

In a type-written statement Monday, the Iraqi Islamic Secret Army said it had captured two Australian security workers along with two East Asians and threatened to kill the hostages within 24 hours if Canberra did not withdraw its troops from the embattled Gulf nation.