Kidnappers in Iraq have followed through on their threats and have beheaded a South Korean hostage, says South Korean foreign ministry.

The body of 33-year-old Kim Sun-il was found by the U.S. military between Baghdad and Fallujah Tuesday, said South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Shin Bong-kil. It's not clear when he was killed.

"It breaks our heart that we have to announce this unfortunate news," he said.

The South Korean embassy in Baghdad confirmed that the body was Kim's by studying a picture of the remains it received by e-mail, Shin said.

Al Jazeera television aired a brief extract of film Tuesday that showed a group of armed gunmen, standing over a kneeling, blindfolded figure, saying they were about to carry out their threat.

"We warned you and you ignored (the warning)... Enough lies," one of the men said. Your army is not here for the sake of Iraqis but for the sake of cursed America."

Militants, reportedly from the al Qaeda-linked group Monotheism and Jihad, kidnapped Kim Sun-il on June 17.

On Monday, they threatened to kill him if South Korea did not withdraw from the country its 670 military medics and engineers and cancel plans to send another 3,000 troops in August. They gave Seoul 24 hours to halt the deployment plans or they would "send you the head of this Korean."

The deadline passed with South Korea government officials saying they would not change their decision.

Kim had been in Iraq for about eight months working as a Korean-English translator for the Gana General Trading, Co., a supplier for the U.S. military.

On Sunday, the Al-Jazeera TV network aired a videotape purportedly of Kim Sun-il begging for his life and pleading with his government to withdraw troops from Iraq. "Korean soldiers, please get out of here," he screamed in English, flailing his arms.

"I don't want to die. I don't want to die."

Monotheism and Jihad is said to be led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. His group claimed responsibility for the videotaped beheading last month of American businessman Nicholas Berg.

Just last week, an American engineer working in Saudi Arabia , Paul M. Johnson Jr., was beheaded by al Qaeda militants. His captors had called for the kingdom to release its al Qaeda prisoners. The demands were ignored.

Seoul, which is eager to strengthen its alliance with the United States, says its troop deployment will make it the largest U.S. partner in Iraq after Britain.

On Saturday, Seoul warned civilians not to travel to Iraq, saying its deployment decision might prompt terror attacks on South Koreans.

A Seoul Commerce Ministry spokeswoman says all South Koreans working for firms in Iraq were likely to leave the country by early next month.