A diplomatic source in Seoul says Libya has expelled a South Korean intelligence official accused of spying on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
The source tells news agencies that Tripoli expelled the official June 18 for allegedly attempting to collect information on Mr. Gadhafi, his family and key Libyan bureaucrats. South Korea sent a government delegation to Libya earlier this month to "clarify" the situation, but the visit failed to produce a breakthrough. Further meetings were held last week.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported Tuesday that the man is an official of Seoul's National Intelligence Service. He worked in South Korea's embassy in Libya. Libyan authorities shadowed the man for three months before arresting him in June and then expelling him.
Yonhap quoted the diplomat as saying Libyan authorities have since targeted visiting South Koreans considered suspicious, including a Christian missionary who has been detained for a month on charges of violating the Muslim nation's religious laws.
The conflict prompted Libya to close its de-facto embassy -- an economic cooperation office -- in Seoul. Libya is one of South Korea's largest construction markets, with a number of South Korean companies winning a series of massive civil engineering contracts there.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.
