A meeting of South Korea's influential National Security Council yesterday was likely to touch on whether more could have been done to prevent the killing in Iraq of hostage Kim Sun-il.
The government's inspection and auditing body launched an investigation into the Foreign Ministry over possible delays.
Militants decapitated the 33-year-old Kim after Seoul rejected their demands to pull 670 South Korean military medics and engineers out of Iraq and drop plans to send 3,000 troops.
"One of the issues to be discussed at the meeting is follow-up steps related to the killing of Kim Sun-il, including the return of his body," said a spokeswoman for the council, which advises President Roh Moo-hyun.
Roh has argued the troop decision was a tough but vital step to support the US, an ally that maintains 37,500 troops in South Korea to deter long-time foe North Korea.
On Thursday, Roh ordered a full investigation into the kidnapping and beheading of Kim after it emerged the man was abducted three weeks before Seoul said it found out.
The Foreign Ministry is facing public anger over reports that the US news agency Associated Press had asked the ministry about a possible abducted South Korean in early June. AP's television agency had video footage of Kim in captivity at that time.
The government's inspection and auditing body began investigating the Foreign Ministry and the embassy in Iraq on Friday to help clear public suspicion about the killing.
"The Board of Inspection and Audit realizes this incident has to do with the trust in the government and we plan to do our best to make in-depth investigations and reveal the results as soon as possible to clear the public distrust," a board statement said.
The beheading shocked South Koreans and inflamed passions, triggering a rally near the US embassy for the last two days against the sending of South Korean troops to Iraq.
More than 300 civic groups plan to join a nationwide candle-light rally every evening until Kim's funeral, which will not be arranged until his body is returned home. The groups expect a large turnout this weekend.
The government planned to bring Kim's body back by tomorrow, a Foreign Ministry official told reporters.
"His body is scheduled to arrive at the Inchon airport at 5:30pm on Saturday via a Korean Air flight," he said. "The body will be transferred to Dubai from Kuwait and then leave for South Korea today."
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