On July 19, 2007, a group of 23 South Korean missionaries were captured and held hostage by members of the Taliban while passing through Ghazni Province of Afghanistan. The group, composed of sixteen women and seven men, was captured while traveling from Kandahar to Kabul by bus on a mission sponsored by the Saemmul Presbyterian Church. The crisis began when two local men, who the driver had allowed to board, started shooting to bring the bus to a halt. Over the next month, the hostages were kept in cellars and farmhouses and regularly moved in groups of three to four.

The Taliban killed two of the abducted South Koreans, Bae Hyeong-gyu, a 42-year-old South Korean the pastor of Saemmul Church, and Shim Seong-min, a 29-year-old South Korean man, on July 25 and 30, respectively. Later, with negotiations making progress, two women, Kim Gyeong-ja and Kim Ji-na, were released on August 13, and the remaining 19 hostages on August 29 and 30.

The release of the hostages was secured with a South Korean promise to withdraw its 200 troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2007. Although the South Korean government offered no statement, a Taliban spokesman claimed that the militant group also received a ransom of US$20 million in exchange for the safety of the captured missionaries.

Negotiations

As South Korea was already scheduled to withdraw its 200 troops by the end of the year, the Taliban's initial demand was only that they hold to this plan, but later also sought the release of 23 Taliban militants from prison in exchange for releasing the abducted South Koreans. The Taliban issued and extended several deadlines for the release of the prisoners, after which they threatened to begin killing the hostages. Freedom for the militants was ruled out when it was apparent the South Korean negotiators could not secure the release of Afghan prisoners, as Afghan president Hamid Karzai had previously faced criticism for freeing five rebel prisoners in exchange for an Italian hostage.

Face-to-face meetings between the Taliban and South Korea began on 10 August, resulting in the release of two female hostages, Kim Ji-na and Kim Gyeong-ja, on 13 August. However on 18 August, a Taliban spokesman said that the talks had failed and the fate of the hostages was being considered.

Release

The freedom of the remaining nineteen hostages (fourteen women and five men) was secured on 28 August with the participation of Indonesia as a neutral country. They were eventually released on the 29 and 30 of August.

After the release, a Taliban official announced that South Korea had paid the Taliban more than US$20 million in ransom for the lives of the hostages. However, South Korea stated that they have made a promise with the Taliban that they would not make any statements about the ransom.

Response

Public gatherings were held in South Korea during the capture to pray for the safety of the hostages. Muslims residing in South Korea also expressed their grief regarding the incident and stated that the acts of the Taliban were against the principles of Islam.Muslims here pray for safe homecoming of 22 hostages, JoongAng Daily, July 30, 2007. Many South Koreans nevertheless held numerous protests and demonstrations outside the Seoul Central Mosque.

On the other hand, many South Koreans were critical of the hostages, as the hostages were conducting Christian missionary service in Islamic Afghanistan despite the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's repeated warnings that Taliban had plans to kidnap South Koreans in order to free imprisoned militants.

Among those criticising the deal from the government as setting a dangerous precedent were the bishop of Daejeon and chairman of Korea Caritas Lazarus You Heung-sik.

List of hostages

Romanized name Name in Hangul Name in Hanja Gender Birth year Status Bae Hyeong-gyu 裵亨圭 Male 1965 killed on July 25, 2007 Shim Seong-min 沈聖珉 Male 1978 killed on July 30, 2007 Kim Gyeong-ja 김경자 金慶子 Female 1970 released on August 13, 2007 Kim Ji-na 김지나 金智娜 Female 1975 released on August 13, 2007 Ryu Gyeong-shik 류경식 柳慶植 Male 1952 released on August 29, 2007 Ko Sei-hoon 고세훈 高世勳 Male 1980 released on August 29, 2007 Lyu Jeong-hwa 유정화 柳貞和 Female 1968 released on August 29, 2007 Lee Seon-yeong 이선영 李善英 Female 1970 released on August 29, 2007 Lee Ji-yeong 이지영 李智英 Female 1970 released on August 29, 2007 (offered to be freed August 13) Han Ji-yeong 한지영 韓智英 Female 1973 released on August 29, 2007 Lee Jeong-ran 이정란 李貞蘭 Female 1974 released on August 29, 2007 Lim Hyeon-ju 임현주 林賢珠 Female 1975 released on August 29, 2007 Cha Hye-jin 차혜진 車惠珍 Female 1976 released on August 29, 2007 An Hye-jin 안혜진 安惠珍 Female 1976 released on August 29, 2007 Seo Myeong-hwa 서명화 徐明和 Female 1978 released on August 29, 2007 Lee Ju-yeon 이주연 李週妍 Female 1980 released on August 29, 2007 Je Chang-hee 제창희 諸昌熙 Male 1969 released on August 30, 2007 Song Byeong-woo 송병우 宋炳宇 Male 1974 released on August 30, 2007 Seo Gyeong-seok 서경석 徐京石 Male 1980 released on August 30, 2007 Kim Yoon-yeong 김윤영 金允英 Female 1972 released on August 30, 2007 Pak Hye-yeong 박혜영 朴惠英 Female 1972 released on August 30, 2007 Lee Seong-eun 이성은 李成恩 Female 1983 released on August 30, 2007 Lee Yeong-gyeong 이영경 李英慶 Female 1985 released on August 30, 2007

See also

Foreign relations of South Korea

References