MANILA - The Korean embassy on Thursday denied that any of its personnel were involved with the Korean mafia, and that its officials asked Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to stop probes related to the unspecified criminal organization.

The embassy’s Consul-General and a police attache, together with Choi Kyung-jin, the widow of businessman Jee Ick-Joo met with Aguirre on February 23, it said in a statement. However, this was not to stop any investigation but to clarify a rumor on Jee’s possible collaboration with the mafia.

• READ: Some Korean embassy men compromised by Korean mafia: Aguirre

During the meeting, the official and Choi told Aguirre they doubted his involvement with any criminal organization, as he was a “conscientious businessman.”

“Then, Secretary Aguirre promised that the Department of Justice (DOJ) would not pursue any longer the angle of possible linkage with a Korean mafia in its future investigations into the case,” the embassy said.

“On the other hand, the wife asked for the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) under the DOJ to withdraw from the joint investigation into her husband’s case so that the investigation will not be delayed and proceed speedily.”

The embassy also denied that the Korean mafia compromised any of its personnel.

“The embassy has every confidence that no official has been compromised by Korean mafia. The embassy asks for any concrete evidence that substantiates his remarks. It would take full responsibility for it, if any,” it said in a statement.

Aguirre’s claims at the Senate hearing Thursday on the kidnap-slay case of Joo might have been based on “wrong and unfounded” information, the Korean embassy said.

It is also “strongly distressed” that Aguirre’s claims could “tarnish its honor and reputation.”

Earlier, Aguirre said that a former NBI official told him that some members of the Korean embassy in the Philippines had links to the Korean mafia.

Aguirre previously claimed that Jee was kidnapped twice by the mafia, which the businessman’s wife denied. However, the NBI and the Philippine National Police had already dismissed the possibility that the mafia was involved in Jee’s death.