The ordeal of 19 South Korean Christians held hostage in Afghanistan by the Taliban finally ended over the weekend as they reunited with family members back home. Seoul's strenuous negotiations with the Taliban made possible their liberation. Two other hostages had been released Aug. 13. We again extend our condolences to the souls and families of Mr. Bae Hyung Kyu and Mr. Sim Sung Min, the two hostages who were killed after the kidnapping.
The 23 volunteers from Saemmul Presbyterian Church in Bundang, near Seoul, were kidnapped July 19 while traveling by bus from Kabul to the southern city of Kandahar, where they planned to work in hospitals on a 10-day relief mission.
In its effort to liberate the hostages through direct negotiations with the Taliban, the South Korean government found itself in a difficult position because it had to violate an international principle not to make contact with terrorists. In return for the release of the hostages, it agreed to withdraw its 200 troops from Afghanistan by yearend — as it had already decided earlier — and to stop all evangelical activities by South Korean Christians in Afghanistan. The Taliban alleges that the South Korean government paid the group more than $20 million. But the latter denies any such a deal was made.