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American businessman kidnapped in Tijuana

By Amy Isackson / Border Reporter,  KPBS Public Broadcasting
Published April 11, 2006 at 9:00 PM PDT
This story was published more than 18 years ago.

Kidnappers have snatched a second U.S. businessman off the streets of Tijuana. Though the victims are both of Asian descent and the two abductions took place within the space of a week, authorities do

Kidnappers have snatched a second U.S. businessman off the streets of Tijuana. Though the victims are both of Asian descent and the two abductions took place within the space of a week, authorities do not believe the cases are connected. KPBS reporter Amy Isackson has details.

U.S. citizen George Chu was kidnapped by gunmen as he arrived at work in downtown Tijuana on Monday. Authorities on both sides of the border are investigating the case. They say Chu's captors have not demanded ransom. Officials say Chu is a seafood distributor and owns a home in Chula Vista.

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Last week, kidnappers nabbed Yang Hak Kim as he drove to work at his manufacturing business in Tijuana. His kidnappers demanded $2 million though Kim escaped.

U.S. Consulate spokeswoman Liza Davis does not believe American citizens are being targeted.

Davis: "It's highly unlikely that anyone would necessarily know that these two men were American citizens. One was Korean American. One was Chinese American."

FBI officials, who are helping with the investigation, say the cases do not appear to be related. Amy Isackson, KPBS news.

Amy Isackson
Amy Isackson was the border reporter at KPBS from 2004 to 2011. She covered breaking news and feature stories on California-Mexico border issues and immigration, for local and national broadcast. Amy got her start in public radio by pitching a series of stories about rural New Zealand - horse dentistry and sheep sheering - to Radio New Zealand's "Country Life" program. She then worked with Peabody Award-winning radio producers Nikki Silva and Davia Nelson, to help create the Sonic Memorial, a series of stories on the World Trade Center before, during and after 9/11. Amy's work has been recognized with awards from the Associated Press Television-Radio Association of California and Nevada, the California Chicano News Media Association, and the San Diego Press Club. She won the Sol Price Prize for Responsible Journalism in 2009 from the Society of Professional Journalists for her story about high school students smuggling people and drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border. Prior to venturing into the wonderful world of public radio, Amy worked for Yahoo! Inc. for nearly five years as an editorial surfer, associate producer and broadcast communications manager. She majored in Latin American History at Williams College. She grew up in San Diego and made frequent trips south of the border.
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