Police said Thursday they have arrested a suspect in the killing of three South Koreans in the Philippines earlier this month, adding they will continue efforts to track down accomplices.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it arrested the suspect on Wednesday, known only by his surname Kim, in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, some 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

Earlier this month, three South Koreans -- two male, one female -- were found dead with gunshot wounds in their heads. Their bodies were found in a sugar cane field in Bacolor, a small city of around 30,000 people.

Police said it is currently looking for the whereabouts of another suspect, surnamed Park, who lived in the Philippines with Kim.

Last year a total of 11 Korean nationals were killed in the Philippines, according to the foreign ministry. (Yonhap)